She stood with clasped hands, looking expectantly up the dark, strange road which little Puck had chosen. She felt that it was all so mysterious, and yet so delightful; it was just like waiting on Christmas Eve for the presents. Then there was a rustling and clattering away high up, and quick as a squirrel the little fellow clambered down the sooty wall, and in a twinkling he laid his burden down before the astonished child. "Just wait a minute," he cried merrily, "and you will see how light it will be!" As he spoke he climbed up the wall, and in a moment the silver sconces were radiant with lighted wax candles. The little girl clapped her hands in delight. "That is not all," said the goblin with an air of importance; "just look here." He opened the basket which he had brought with him. With magic quickness, the table was covered and set with the daintiest dishes. Maude needed no pressing to taste them. "Oh you good Puck," she said gratefully, "how kind you are to me! Did Margaret give you all that?" "Margaret, indeed!" answered the goblin, growling; "she has no time to think of you. She is too busy staring at what's going on, and tasting stolen bits." "But who gave you all this--this delicious cake and this splendid pie? This must surely be the dish that Margaret says cook is so proud of!" "Yes, that it is!" said the little fellow, nodding; "and the guests made such faces when it suddenly vanished from before their eyes that I nearly died with laughing at them--ha, ha, ha!" "Vanished?" asked the child in astonishment. "Yes, vanished!" laughed Puck; "do you think they would have given it of their own accord; I put on my cap, so that they did not see me, and then I packed up everything that I thought you would like." Maude dropped the bit that she was just putting to her mouth, and gazed incredulously at her little friend. "What do you mean?" she asked anxiously. The little fellow laughed heartily. "Look," said he, as soon as he was able to control himself; "do you see this little red cap? I have had it under my arm all the time I have been talking to you; now I am going to put it on!" In a moment he had vanished from the child's sight--though she peered anxiously about the room, she could see nothing. Not a gleam of his red coat nor of his golden hair was to be seen at all, yet his clear laugh close beside her told her that he was there and as near as ever. "Oh, Puck, dear Puck, don't play such tricks, please," she begged; "I am afraid when you do that." That instant he stood again before her, handsome and merry, shaking his golden locks and smiling.