Tommy was aghast.

"In our house!" he exclaimed. "Whereabouts? Let me rummage them out.
Why do they do nothing?"

"One of them is too young," said the Owl.

"But why don't the others work?" asked Tommy.

"They are idle, they are idle," said the Old Owl, and she gave herself
such a shake as she said it, that the fluff went flying through the
shed, and Tommy nearly tumbled off the beam in his fright.

"Then we don't want them," said he. "What is the use of having Brownies
if they do nothing to help us?"

"Perhaps they don't know how, as no one has told them," said the Owl.

"I wish you would tell me where to find them," said Tommy; "I could
tell them."

"Could you?" said the Owl. "Oohoo! oohoo!" and Tommy couldn't tell
whether she were hooting or laughing.

"Of course I could," he said. "They might be up and sweep the house,
and light the fire, and spread the table, and that sort of thing,
before Father came down. Besides, they could _see_ what was wanted.
The Brownies did all that in Granny's mother's young days. And then
they could tidy the room, and fetch the turf, and pick up my chips,
and sort Granny's scraps. Oh! there's lots to do."