"Oh, it was only an axe we heard," said Boots.

When they had gone on a bit farther, their road passed under a steep
spur of rock, where they heard something digging and shovelling.

[Illustration: A spade that stood digging and delving]

"I wonder now," said Boots, "what is digging and shovelling up yonder at
the top of the rock."

"Ah, you're always so clever with your wondering," laughed Peter and
Paul again, "as if you'd never heard a woodpecker hacking and pecking at
a hollow tree."

"Well, well," said Boots, "I just think it would be fun to see what it
really is."

And so off he set to climb the rock, while the others laughed and made
fun of him. But he did not care a bit for that; up he climbed, and when
he got near the top, what do you think he saw? Why, a spade that stood
there digging and delving.

"Good-day!" said Boots. "So you stand here all alone, and dig and delve,
do you?"

"Yes, that's what I do," said the spade, "and that's what I've done
these hundreds of years, waiting for you, Boots."

"Well, here I am," said Boots again, as he took the spade and knocked it