d by nuts of a peculiar
flavor, and small fruits as exquisite to look at as they were delicious
to taste.

When Leo had done ample justice to all these things Paz looked relieved,
as if he had feared they might not suit.

"Never ate anything better in my life," said Leo.

"I am glad to hear it; tastes differ so. Now these things come from all
parts of the world--the fish from Spain, the eggs from Africa, the nuts
from Italy, the fruits from France, and the sirup from Portugal."

"Oh dear!" said Leo, wondering how their freshness was preserved.

"Yes, I suppose you have no idea of our canning business."

"None in the world."

"I presumed as much," said Paz, wisely, "nor am I going to bore you
with any more information."

Leo looked quite shocked.

"Oh, well," said Paz, profoundly, "there's a limit to all things, and
I'm not a Knops."

"But have you been to all parts of the world?" asked Leo.

"Oh, yes," answered Paz, carelessly. "I have wandered far and wide in my
time. Until I caught the diamond fever I was used as an envoy."

"Indeed!" said Leo, having but a faint idea of what an envoy was. "What
did you do?"

"I went on errands of importance."

"Who for, and where did you go?"

"I was sent generally to carry messages from our King to the Queen of
the Wind Fairies or the Herb Elves, or the Sylphs, sometimes to warn
them of trouble or danger, sometimes to tell them that imps were
rampaging or giants were about to make war, but oftener to inform them
of some plan for assisting man, or some good to be done for a child: in
these things we delight."

"How kind!" said Leo.

"Kindness has so much power, if people only knew it. But you are
waiting; I must not detain you." So, without further preface, thus began

PAZ'S STORY

"It was a time of trouble to mankind--a year of strange events, and yet
so stupid are ordinary mortals--begging your pardon--that none were
making preparations either to meet or to avoid disaster. The King of the
Kobolds had been negotiating with our King for the purchase of some
immense tracts of iron ore, and in the course of conversation said he
had received news from Italy that there would soon be a volcanic
outbreak, that the giants there were quarrelling fiercely, and had not
hesitated to declare that unless matters were arranged to suit them they
would bid Vesuvius pour forth its death-dealing fires.

"Now on the side of that well-known mountain were living some friends o