and the wind was blowing and roaring round the house so terribly that at
first he thought it was merely the storm. But a second rap came, and
then a third, louder than any of the others.

"'It is some poor traveller,' said little Hans to himself, and he ran to
the door.

"There stood the Miller with a lantern in one hand and a big stick in
the other.

"'Dear little Hans,' cried the Miller, 'I am in great trouble. My little
boy has fallen off a ladder and hurt himself, and I am going for the
Doctor. But he lives so far away, and it is such a bad night, that it
has just occurred to me that it would be much better if you went instead
of me. You know I am going to give you my wheelbarrow, and so it is only
fair that you should do something for me in return.'

"'Certainly,' cried little Hans, 'I take it quite as a compliment your
coming to me, and I will start off at once. But you must lend me your
lantern, as the night is so dark that I am afraid I might fall into the
ditch.'

"'I am very sorry,' answered the Miller, 'but it is my new lantern and
it would be a great loss to me if anything happened to it.'

"'Well, never mind, I will do without it,' cried little Hans, and he
took down his great fur coat, and his warm scarlet cap, and tied a
muffler round his throat, and started off.

"What a dreadful storm it was! The night was so black that little Hans
could hardly see, and the wind was so strong that he could scarcely
stand. However, he was very courageous, and after he had been walking
about three hours, he arrived at the Doctor's house, and knocked at the
door.

"'Who is there?' cried the Doctor, putting his head out of his bedroom
window.

"'Little Hans, Doctor.'

"'What do you want, little Hans?'

"'The Miller's son has fallen from a ladder, and has hurt himself,
and the Miller wants you to come at once.'

"'All right!' said the Doctor; and he ordered his horse, and his big
boots, and his lantern, and came downstairs, and rode off in the
direction of the Miller's house, little Hans trudging behind him.

"But the storm grew worse and worse, and the rain fell in torrents, and
little Hans could not see where he was going, or keep up with the horse.
At last he lost his way, and wandered off on the moor, which was a very
dangerous place, as it was full of deep holes, and there poor little
Hans was drowned. His body was found the next day by some goatherds,
floating in a great pool of water, and was brought