"Tell me!" said the dame, "as if any one that liked a tidy room
wouldn't like tidy clothes, if they could get them. No! no! when we
have one, you shall take his measure, I promise you."

And this was all the Tailor got out of her on the subject. When his
work was finished, the Farmer paid him at once; and the good dame added
half a cheese, and a bottle-green coat.

"That has been laid by for being too small for the master now he's so
stout," she said; "but except for a stain or two it's good enough, and
will cut up like new for one of the lads."

The Tailor thanked them, and said farewell, and went home. Down the
valley, where the river, wandering between the green banks and the
sandy rocks, was caught by giant mosses, and bands of fairy fern, and
there choked and struggled, and at last barely escaped with an
existence, and ran away in a diminished stream. On up the purple hills
to the old ruined house. As he came in at the gate he was struck by
some idea of change, and looking again, he saw that the garden had been
weeded, and was comparatively tidy. The truth is, that Tommy and
Johnnie had taken advantage of the Tailor's absence to do some
Brownie's work in the daytime.

"It's that Blessed Brownie!" said the Tailor. "Has he been as usual?"
he asked, when he was in the house.

"To be sure," said the old lady; "all has been well, son Thomas."

"I'll tell you what it is," said the Tailor, after a pause. "I'm a