lord Baron's supper. Where hast thou been for all this time?"

No matter," said the boy, sullenly, as he laid the fagots ready
for the lighting; "no matter, I was not running after Long
Jacob, the bowman, to try to catch him for a sweetheart, as thou
hast been doing."

The reply was instant and ready. The cook raised her hand;
"smack!" she struck and a roar from the scullion followed.

"Yes, good," thought Hans, as he looked down upon them; "I am
glad that the boy's ear was not on my head."

"Now give me no more of thy talk," said the woman, "but do the
work that thou hast been bidden." Then - "How came all this
black soot here, I should like to know?"

"How should I know?" snuffled the scullion, "mayhap thou wouldst
blame that on me also?"

"That is my doing," whispered Hans to himself; "but if they
light the fire, what then becomes of me?"

"See now," said the cook; "I go to make the cakes ready; if I
come back and find that thou hast not built the fire, I will
warm thy other ear for thee."

"So," thought Hans; "then will be my time to come down the
chimney, for there will be but one of them."