nds, cried 'Oh!' and nodded her head.

'She's thought a plan,' Dan explained. 'She always does like that when she
thinks a plan.'

'I was thinking--suppose we saved some of our porridge and put it in the
attic for you. They'd notice if we left it in the nursery.'

'Schoolroom,' said Dan, quickly, and Una flushed, because they had made a
solemn treaty that summer not to call the schoolroom the nursery any more.

'Bless your heart o' gold!' said Puck. 'You'll make a fine considering
wench some market-day. I really don't want you to put out a bowl for me;
but if ever I need a bite, be sure I'll tell you.'

He stretched himself at length on the dry grass, and the children
stretched out beside him, their bare legs waving happily in the air. They
felt they could not be afraid of him any more than of their particular
friend old Hobden, the hedger. He did not bother them with grown-up
questions, or laugh at the donkey's head, but lay and smiled to himself in
the most sensible way.

'Have you a knife on you?' he said at last.

Dan handed over his big one-bladed outdoor knife, and Puck began to carve
out a piece of turf from the centre of the Ring.

'What's that for--Magic?' said Una, as he pressed up the square of
chocolate loam that cut like so much cheese.

'One of my little Magics,' he answered, and cut another. 'You see, I can't
let you into the Hills because the People of the Hills have gone; but if
you care to take seizin from me, I may be able to show you something out
of the common here on Human Earth. You certainly deserve it.'

'What's taking seizin?' said Dan, cautiously.

'It's an old custom the people had when they bought and sold land. They
used to cut out a clod and hand it over to the buyer, and you weren't
lawfully seized of your land--it didn't really belong to you--till the other
fellow had actually given you a piece of it--like this.' He held out the
turves.

'But it's our own meadow,' said Dan, drawing back. 'Are you going to magic
it away?'

Puck laughed. 'I know it's your meadow, but there's a great deal more in
it than you or your father ever guessed. Try!'

He turned his eyes on Una.

'I'll do it,' she said. Dan followed her example at once.

'Now are you two lawfully seized and possessed of all Old England,' began
Puck, in a sing-song voice. 'By Right of Oak, Ash, and Thorn are you free
to come and go and look and know where I shall show or best you please.
You shall see What you shal