The peasant set to work, and piled all the gold into the cart down to
the very last gold piece; while Misery sat on the stone and watched,
groaning and chuckling in his weak, wretched little voice.

"Be quick," says Misery; "and then we can get back to the tavern."

The peasant looked into the pit to see that there was nothing left
there, and then says he,--

"Just take a look, little Master Misery, and see that we have left
nothing behind. You are smaller than I, and can get right down into
the pit...."

Misery slipped down from the stone, grumbling at the peasant, and bent
over the pit.

"You've taken the lot," says he; "there's nothing to be seen."

"But what is that," says the peasant--"there, shining in the corner?"

"I don't see it."

"Jump down into the pit and you'll see it. It would be a pity to waste
a gold piece."

Misery jumped down into the pit, and instantly the peasant rolled the
stone over the hole and shut him in.

"Things will be better so," says the peasant. "If I were to let you
out of that, sooner or later you would drink up all this money, just