"No," said the old man. "I never did a naughty thing in all my life, but they locked me up just the same--just as if I had been a poor little canary-bird." "Who did it?" queried Jimmieboy. "They must have been very wicked people to treat you that way." "They were. Awfully wicked," said the little old man. "They were wickeder than they seem, because really, you know, they intended that I should stay locked up there forever and ever." "But how did they come to do it?" asked Jimmieboy. "It's a long story," answered the little old man. "But if you want me to, I'll tell it." "Do," said Jimmieboy. "Very well, then, I will," said the little old man. "But not here. It is too wet here. We'll go inside the drawer ourselves, where we can be dry and comfortable, and we'll take the key in with us and lock ourselves in so that nobody can interfere with us. Will you come?" "I don't see how I can," said Jimmieboy, looking down at his own body and then pointing to the drawer. "Don't you see I am two or three dozen times too big to get in there?" "That doesn't make any difference," said the little old man with a laugh. "For I am a wizard, and I can make you large or small, just as I please. If you will say the word I'll make you so small you couldn't see yourself with a magnifying-glass." Jimmieboy thought a moment, and concluded very wisely, I think, that he would rather not be so small as that. "I don't like to lose sight of myself," he said. "Very well, then," said the other. "Suppose I make you just about my size? How would that do?" "I'd like that very much," replied Jimmieboy, kindly. "I think you are an awfully nice size." Again the little old man smiled with pleasure. "You are the pleasantest boy I know," he said; "and you will find out before long that it is worth while to make friends with old Thumbhi, Lord High Wizard of the Sea, and Court Jester to the King of the Waves." "Are you all that?" said Jimmieboy, pleased to discover that his new-found friend was a person of so great importance. "Yes indeed," answered Thumbhi. "I am all that, and half a dozen things more. In fact, I am so much that if we had a million dream years together I couldn't even begin to tell you all that I am. But come. Are you ready to be made smaller?" "Yes," said Jimmieboy, a little nervously. "What do I do first?" "You must put on a coat I give you," replied the wizard. "It will be a little small for you, perhaps, but you can get it on." The wizard opened one of the bureau drawers, and took therefrom a coat, in which Jimmieboy hastened to array himself. It was, as the old man had said, a little small for him, but he managed to get into it, and after wearing it a minute or two he found it quite comfortable. "Now take it off," said the wizard, taking a second coat out of the drawer, "and put this one on." Jimmieboy took off the coat. "Is this larger than the other?" he asked, as he began to put the second coat on.