too
long; he fell asleep, and when he woke he didn't wake fully in a
moment; he remained lying motionless just as before, with eyes still
closed, but the lids just raised enough to enable him to see about
him. And the sight that met his eyes was very curious. He was no
longer alone in that solitary place. There were people all round him,
dozens and scores of little black men about two feet in height, of a
very singular appearance. They had bald heads and thin hatchet faces,
wrinkled and warty, and long noses; and they all wore black silk
clothes--coat, waistcoat and knickerbockers, but without shoes and
stockings; their thin black legs and feet were bare; nor did they
have anything on their bald heads. They were gathered round Martin
in a circle, but a very wide circle quite twenty to thirty feet away
from him, and some were walking about, others standing alone or in
groups, talking together, and all looking at Martin. Only one who
appeared to be the most important person of the company kept inside
the circle, and whenever one or more of the others came forward a
few steps he held up his hand and begged them to go back a little.

"We must not be in a hurry," he said. "We must wait."

"Wait for what?" asked one.

"For what may happen," said the important one. "I must ask you again
to leave it to me to decide when it is time to begin." Then he
strutted up and down in the open space, turning now towards his
fellows and again to Martin, moving his head about to get a better
sight of his face. Then, putting his hand down between his coat and
waistcoat he drew out a knife with a long shining blade, and holding
it from him looked attentively at it. By and by he breathed gently
on the bright blade, then pulling out a black silk pocket
handkerchief wiped off the stain of his breath, and turning the
blade about made it glitter in the sun. Then he put it back under
his coat and resumed his walk up and down.

"We are getting very hungry," said one of the others at length.

"Very hungry indeed!" cried another. "Some of us have not tasted
food these three days."

"It certainly does seem hard," said yet another, "to see our dinner
before us and not be allowed to touch it."

"Not so fast, my friends, I beg," exclaimed the man with the knife.
"I have already explained the case, and I do think you are a little
unfair in pressing me as you do."

Thus rebuked they consulted together, then one of them spoke.
"If, sir, you consid