fourth heap is for me. The Baron's servants say I ought to be thankful that I get so much, and they sometimes threaten to keep a part of my heap for the footman, to let the cook get the whole of the third heap.”

"The cheats! the thieves !" said Number Nip, in great anger; "I can scarcely believe such wickedness in servants,"

"If you will give me the salmon to take to the castle, sir, and come along with me, you will see for yourself," answered Klaus.

"There is the salmon," said Number Nip, handing the fish to him; "take it to the castle, and I will go with you. If the story you have told me is true, you will have the plea- ' sure of seeing the dishonest cheats well punished; but if your story is false, then I will certainly hang you on the nearest tree."

"I have no fear," answered Klaus; "you shall soon see that all I have said is true."

So they walked on together towards the castle, Klaus carrying the salmon just as he was in use to do. When they got near the castle Number Nip changed himself into a small blue fly, so that he might see all that would happen without being seen. When

Klaus entered the castle he went direct to the housekeeper's room to get the fish weighed, and the little blue fly went buzzing in about his ears, and flew up to a high pane of glass in the window to watch. The fish was at once weighed, and the money was brought and put down in four heaps. The housekeeper took one of the heaps, the butler took another, and the cook walked off with the third, to divide between herself and the footman, while the fourth was left for Klaus; and just as he was going away the cook called after him, "Next time I am to keep all the third heap for myself. You must give the half of your share to the footman; and you ought to be thankful for what you will get."

Klaus then walked away, and the blue fly went buzzing after him. When they got to the outside of the castle the blue fly buzzed and buzzed about in a furious rage, and it said to Klaus, "You shall soon see the thieves well punished. Stand at the window of the butler's room and watch.".

So Klaus went to the window of the butler's room and watched. As he peeped in

at the window he saw the butler busy polishing a large silver teapot, while the footman was brushing hard at a pair of the Baron's top-boots, and he saw his little blue friend come buzzing in at the door and fly up into a corner. He listened, and he heard the butler and the footman disputing about an egg. The footman said that when an egg was to be eaten, it should be broken at the large end, while the butler said no, it should be broken at the small end, because there was only one skin under the egg at the small end, while there were two skins to break through at the large end. At this the footman laughed right out, and said, as if half to himself, "Such nonsense!" ler, of course, was angry at that, and muttered without looking at the footman, "Impertinent fool; I will bray you in a mortar."

The but

Number Nip had been watching from his corner, but now he came buzzing out of it towards the footman, and changing himself all at once into a large turnip, he went smash with great force against the butler's nose."

"You scoundrel! what do you mean?"