"Good luck to you, then!" cried his friend, as he shook Ned warmly by the hand.

The door opened and Ned once more found himself by the side of the great flat stone in the hillside, where rippling waters of the little stream flowed into the pool at the foot of the great oak tree, on which sat a lovely bluebird.

Following the bluebird, Ned turned to one side to avoid climbing the hill, and continued his journey for some time, keeping ever in sight the bluebird's beautiful form.

It was almost dark when they were confronted by a dense forest. This was not particularly rea.s.suring to Ned, especially as the bluebird flew back and settled herself on his shoulder, evidently not wishing to enter the woods at so late an hour. For in a deep, black forest, with all sorts of strange shadows and ghostly trees, one never knows what may be lurking about, and the same Ned who, with his two stout fists, in broad daylight would have undertaken to keep any living boy or man from doing serious mischief, felt his teeth set hard and his heart stand still as he came into the shadow of the great trees.

The little bird nestled close to his cheek and refused to leave his shoulder.

Ned, indeed, felt that he must now look out for himself, and though his heart beat high, he bravely trudged forward.

It was very unlike the woods to which he had been accustomed to go with his schoolmates at home, where bright green maples, beeches and birches made a leafy bower overhead. Instead, there were solemn pines and hemlocks, and as he entered deeper, great caverns appeared in the rocks and narrow gulleys, into which one might easily fall and break one's neck.

Through this dismal place he trudged along, with his knees shaking, but with a brave heart, until he came to a great pine, which evidently had been struck by lightning, for it stood up white and tall, lifting its bare arms to the sky, like some specter giant crying for vengeance.

Luckily he had placed the bluebird in his pocket, fearing that the low hanging branches would sweep it from his shoulders. Had he not done so before arriving at this spot the opportunity would not have presented itself again.

Right at the foot of the pine, on a decaying log, sat a little old man, who was altogether the ugliest looking object that Ned had ever seen. He was about half the size of ordinary men, though the whiteness of his hair and beard showed plainly that he would never be any taller, and though his body was short and crooked to the last degree, his face was long and pale, but was lighted up by wonderfully brilliant eyes.

These were fixed on Ned from the moment he came in sight, and, piercing through the darkness, it is no wonder that they chilled the poor boy's blood and failed to quicken his pace. Indeed, it is not quite certain that he would have gone forward at all if the greater part of the forest had not been behind him, though there seemed to be a spell in the strange eyes that drew the boy on in spite of himself.

"Come along! What are you afraid of?" cried the dwarf in a little, dry voice, that sounded like the cracking of a dry twig beneath one's foot.

Ned hesitated, and, as if seeking the comfort of something alive and friendly, thrust his hand into his pocket alongside of the little bluebird.

"Come on! Come on, little master," repeated the dwarf. "Here I have been waiting more than an hour to tell you some good news, and now that you are here you would hinder me because you are such a coward."

"I don't know you," said Ned, as an excuse.

"Well, well, no matter for that. I know you well enough. Would you read about gnomes and then be so cowardly that you would fear to a.s.sociate with them?"

As he finished speaking, he arose, disclosing a doorway in the trunk of the pine tree behind him.

At that moment, a beautiful dwarf maiden emerged therefrom, and, as if having heard the conversation, said: "He is no coward, father. See, he will shake hands with me!"

Ned put out his hand, but drew it back just in time to escape having the gold ring which the Fairy Queen had given him, slipped off his finger by the dwarf maiden.

"Selfish mortal," she cried, "'tis nothing but a little gold band. Give it to me. See, I will exchange this beautiful diamond for it," and she held out a sparkling stone set in a gold ring.

Ned drew back in alarm, more especially as the dwarf himself advanced with a threatening att.i.tude.

Continuing to step back, Ned kept his eyes upon the dwarf, who advanced now with upraised fist. Seeing this, Ned quickly threw off his coat and picking up a stout stick, prepared to defend himself.

It would have gone ill with him, for the dwarf was surprisingly strong and agile, had not relief come from an unexpected quarter.

[Ill.u.s.tration: NED THREW OFF HIS COAT.]

The little bluebird had quietly slipped out of Ned's pocket, and flying up to him, received the gold ring about her neck in accordance with the command of the Fairy Queen, which Ned remembered suddenly and luckily in time.

Off flew the bird to the great tall pine and touched it with the magic ring. In an instant it changed into a giant, who stretched forth one of his great hands, and catching up the dwarf, hurled him headlong down the side of the ravine close by.

The dwarf maiden, with a cry, rushed after him, climbing down the sides with wonderful agility.

The giant now turned to Ned, saying: "Little Master, I owe it to you that I am once more my natural self. An evil spirit transformed me into yonder tree, but the magic of your ring has restored me once more to my natural shape. I will henceforth serve you while the occasion lasts,"

and with these words he knelt before Ned most humbly.

At the same time the bluebird handed Ned his magic ring, and with this faithful little friend, his gold ring, and the giant for a servant, Ned felt that he had nothing further to fear while traveling in Gnomeland.

"Thank you, my good friend," said Ned, placing his hand upon the bowed head of the giant. "You are certainly grateful for what I have done for you, which is more than can be said of many mortals. But had I not had the magic ring and the a.s.sistance of my little companion, the bluebird, you would still be the tree you were. Let us, therefore, the three of us, pledge allegiance to one another and set out upon our journey of adventure."

As he finished speaking the giant arose and carefully placing Ned upon his shoulder, started off at a rapid stride.

The little bluebird flew ahead, and in a short time the three comrades emerged from the forest.

In the distance could be seen the turrets of a stately castle, which looked down from a high point of land upon a beautiful river that wound in and out like a silver ribbon through the meadow.

"Who lives in yonder castle?" asked Ned, unconsciously adopting the style of language of Gnomeland.

"I know not," answered the giant, "but with a few more steps we will be able to inquire at the postern gates."

It was indeed a stately castle, and upon reaching the drawbridge Ned was surprised to find that it was not lowered for them to cross over, although they waited for some time.

"I think I'll blow upon my policeman's whistle," said Ned, hunting through his pockets. "I certainly had it when I left home."

"Blow hard," advised the giant as Ned brought it forth, "blow hard, that those within may think us worthy of admittance."

Upon which Ned let out a blast that would do justice to any Knight of the Round Table. He was himself surprised at the volume of sound, but was too much interested in what was about to happen to realize that the touch of his magic ring had made it possible for the small nickel-plated whistle to create such a sound.

Presently the drawbridge began slowly to descend, and when the creaking chains ceased their noise, our three comrades crossed over to the castle gates. These were thrown wide open, and just as the giant placed Ned upon his feet in front of the castle doors, they opened, disclosing a beautiful princess on the threshold.

"Welcome, Ned, to you and your two friends."

Whereupon the giant bowed very low, and the little bluebird flew over and nestled on her shoulder.

Ned was too delighted to speak for a moment, for up to this time his experiences had been most trying, but here at last it seemed that fortune smiled upon him.

So he and the giant followed her into the stately hall, the latter finding it necessary to stoop each time he entered a doorway, for although the castle was built on magnificent lines it had not occurred to the architect that a giant would ever be a guest.

When they were all seated, except the giant, who sprawled on the floor, as there was no chair large enough to accommodate him, the beautiful princess said:

"I would ask you to spend the night here, but my wicked stepfather returns tonight, and I fear he will do you some injury."

"I fear nothing," answered Ned courageously, standing up to appear more dignified, "and if I can be of any service to you, say but a word, for I have a trusty friend in the giant, and also a clever one in my little bluebird, to say nothing of the magic of this ring," and he touched the gold band about his finger and bowed again to the beautiful princess.

"My stepfather is very crafty," said the princess, looking at Ned intently, as if weighing the possibilities of his a.s.sistance. "He once changed a giant into a pine tree!" At these words, the giant began to shake and tremble so that the cut gla.s.s chandeliers rattled all over the castle.

"Remember, I have the magic ring," Ned whispered, leaning over to where the giant lay upon the floor; "nothing can harm us with that in our possession."