and Scarecrow, being now just as much in the dark as
Shakejoint and Nightmare, could not at once meet either of their
hands, in order to put the eye into it. Thus (as you will see, with
half an eye, my wise little auditors), these good old dames had fallen
into a strange perplexity. For, though the eye shone and glistened
like a star, as Scarecrow held it out, yet the Gray Women caught not
the least glimpse of its light, and were all three in utter darkness,
from too impatient a desire to see.

Quicksilver was so much tickled at beholding Shakejoint and Nightmare
both groping for the eye, and each finding fault with Scarecrow and
one another, that he could scarcely help laughing aloud.

"Now is your time!" he whispered to Perseus. "Quick, quick! before
they can clap the eye into either of their heads. Rush out upon the
old ladies, and snatch it from Scarecrow's hand!"

In an instant, while the Three Gray Women were still scolding each
other, Perseus leaped from behind the clump of bushes, and made
himself master of the prize. The marvelous eye, as he held it in his
hand, shone very brightly, and seemed to look up into his face with a
knowing air, and an expression as if it would have winked, had it been
provided with a pair of eyelids for that purpose. But the Gray Women
knew nothing of what had happened; and, each supposing that one of her
sisters was in possession of the eye, they began their quarrel anew.
At last, as Perseus did not wish to put these respectable dames to
greater inconvenience than was really necessary, he thought it right
to explain the matter.

"My good ladies," said he, "pray do not be angry with one another. If
anybody is in fault, it is myself; for I have the honor to hold your
very brilliant and excellent eye in my own hand!"

"You! you have our eye! And who are you?" screamed the Three Gray
Women, all in a breath; for they were terribly frightened, of course,
at hearing a strange voice, and discovering that their eyesight had
got into the hands of they could not guess whom. "Oh, what shall we
do, sisters? what shall we do? We are all in the dark! Give us our
eye! Give us our one, precious, solitary eye! You have two of your
own! Give us our eye!"

[Illustration: PERSEVS & THE GRAIAE]

"Tell them," whispered Quicksilver to Perseus, "that they shall
have back the eye as soon as they direct you where to find the Nymphs
who have the flying slippers, the magic wallet, and the helmet of
dar