er all about his strange dream, Tommy said: "Let
us play we really are brownies, John, even if we are not; it will be
such fun for once to surprise father and grandmother. We will keep out
of sight and tell about it afterwards. Oh, do come! It will be such
fun!"

So these two brownies put on their clothes in a great hurry and crept
softly down to the kitchen, where at first there seemed enough work for
a dozen brownies to do. Tommy built up a blazing fire, and, while the
kettle was boiling, swept the untidy floor, while Johnnie dusted,
placed his grandmother's chair, got the cradle ready for the baby and
spread the table. Just as everything was in order they heard their
father's footstep on the stairs. "Run!" whispered Tommy, "or he will
see us." So the boys scampered away to their bed in the loft and
pretended to be fast asleep when their father called them to breakfast.

The poor tailor was fairly beside himself with delight and
astonishment, and believed that the brownie he had heard so much about
in his childhood had really come back again. The old grandmother was
delighted, too, and said: "What did I tell you, son Thomas? I always
knew there were real brownies."

Although being brownies was fun for the boys, it was hard work, too,
and they sometimes thought they would leave off; but then they would
think of their hard-working father and would grow quite ashamed.
Things were so much better at home than they used to be. The tailor
never scolded now, the grandmother was more cheerful than of old, the
baby was less fretful, the house was always tidy; and because the
tailor had more time for his work, now that the brownies helped, he
could make more coats and could get more money, and the boys did not go
hungry to bed as they used to do; but there was always bread and milk
enough, and a great bowlful to spare that they set each night for the
brownie.

At last the tailor said, "I am going to do something for that brownie.
He has done so much for us all." So he cut and stitched the neatest
little coat you ever saw; for he said: "I have always heard that a
brownie's clothes are ragged, so our brownie will need this, I know."
When the coat was done it just fitted Tommy and was very fine to see,
all stitched with gold thread and covered with brave brass buttons.

That night the little coat was placed by the bowl of milk set for the
brownie and, when the early morning came, the tailor was awakened by
the soun