And they could see the Fort on the Hill in the sunset, and some of the Fellows playing pranky on the wall: while the Junior Subaltern was hiding behind a buttress, gulping the sponge-cake they swab out the great cannon with. And the rooks were cawing home in the dusk; and the starlings whirred and chirred among the gorse; and old Goly rolled down the Hill from the Fort with the letters, the Boy holding on to his tail, because he said he would do brake. And as they came to Cosy Cottage, the stars came out and shone, and the sparrows chattered as they went to bed in the creepers. And when Baby saw that she trembled and whispered, "I say, Tiny!" because she loved it so. But round the corner the Commander-in-Chief waited at the Castle-window. And when he saw them drive up he smiled. 21 Then as they got down, all of a sudden a merry little voice from the boot-hole began to sing, "I'm Master Mischeevous, My conduct's so grievous, They've bottled me tight In a hole--O! But I laugh--ha! ha! ha! And I sing--tra-la-la! For they never can bottle My soul--O!" Then Baby clutched Tiny's arm, and whispered, "Who?" But Tiny only put his finger to his lips, and led round to the back on his toes. And there he unlocked the door of the boot-hole, and whispered, "Look." So Baby peeped round Tiny's shoulder. And there was a dear little brown mannikin, only so high, with a winky way with him, who scuttled about on bandy legs, and nibbled a nut. Then Baby whispered, "Why?" So Tiny answered, "By order of the King." And he told Baby how the mannikin really belonged to the King, who had taken him away from home, to try to make a better mannikin of him, for really he was so very naughty; and the King has to be very strict, although he is so good and kind. And the King lent him Tiny (by the secret advice of the Commander-in-Chief) to spit on his boots for him. And in return Tiny was to keep him good and tight in the boot-hole, only when he let him out for a little run in the back-yard at dark; which he did now. And after he had done him up again, he went and hung the key on the nail in the kitchen, where it lived. Then Baby and Phyllis went down on their knees in the parlour and undid the things. And after they had undone them, they arranged them round the wall in a row, while Tiny sat in an easy chair, and made remarks, which was the best he could do. So after about a bit Baby said, "Now _you_ do some," and she plumped down. Then Tiny stood on a chair in the parlour, and put his thumb against the wall, and hammered it; while Phyllis stood below with the picture; and Baby said from the easy chair, "That's capital." Only it didn't take Tiny quite that way: for he got off the chair and walked about the room with his knees up, and corked his mouth with his thumb, and so on etc. Only when he saw Baby took no notice, he soon got over it; which is often the way.