fat hand down upon the other on his lap in complete satisfaction.
"Go on, please."

"Was the large stone-building a prison, Aunt Judy?" inquired No. 7.

"That depends upon your ideas of a prison," answered Aunt Judy.
"What do you suppose a prison is?"

"Oh, a great big place with walls all round, where people are locked
up, and can't go in and out as they choose."

"Very well. Then I think you may be allowed to call the place in
which the little Victims were kept a prison, for it certainly was a
great big place with walls all round, and they were locked up at
night, and not allowed to go in and out as they chose."

"Poor things," murmured No. 8; but he consoled himself by
recollecting that the story was to end well.

"Aunt Judy, before you go on, do tell us what VICTIMS are? Are they
fairies, or what? I don't know."

This was the request of No. 5, who was rather more thoughtful than
the rest, and was apt now and then to delay a story by his inquiring
turn of mind.

No. 6 was in a hurry to hear some more, and nudged No. 5 to make him
be quiet; but Aunt Judy interposed; said she did not like to tell
stories to people who didn't care to know what they meant, and
declared that No. 5 was quite right in asking what a victim was.