"No running or anything like that," said Lowboy. "I can't do it." "You'll only have to walk a short way, and after that it will be easy." But Hortense had forgotten that to people as small as they had become, it was a long walk down the hall, and the stairs, and through the house. "We should have eaten the cookies outside, of course," said she. "I didn't think." However, following Hortense as leader, they finally reached the barn. Hortense stopped at the door. "How will we ever get onto their backs?" said she. "Of course, we should have climbed on first and then eaten the cookies. I'm managing this very badly. Perhaps," she added hopefully, "they'll be lying down." As luck would have it, Tom and Jerry were lying down in their stalls, for they were still weary from their adventure of the night before. Small as they were, Hortense and Highboy had no great difficulty in scrambling up Tom's side and taking a firm hold of his mane, nor did Jerry object when Andy and Lowboy mounted him. Tom looked at his riders in mild surprise, but made no move to get up. "What next?" asked Lowboy. "You'll see," said Hortense, who began to repeat the charm which Grater had spoken: _Ride, ride, ride For the world is fair and wide. The moon shines bright On a magic night, And Tom and Jerry Are able very To ride, ride, ride._ At the first words Tom turned reproachful eyes upon her. "I didn't think it of you, Hortense," said he. "Jerry and I are worn out with riding, and here you abuse us, too." "We'll be easy on you," said Hortense. "You have only to take us to the rock on the mountain side where the Little People dance. There you may rest until we return home. Besides, if we left you here Grater and Jeremiah might come and ride again." "That is true," said Tom, "and another such ride as last night's would be the end of me." "Quick then, to the rock," said Hortense, and in a twinkling Tom and Jerry were out of the barn and soaring high in the air over the field and the orchard, over the brook and the tree tops beyond. The moon shone full and bright upon them, and every one was so thrilled with its brightness that he felt like singing. Lowboy did break into a song, but Hortense silenced him at once for fear of frightening the Little People. Over the tree tops they came and down towards the rock. Hortense could see the Little People dancing, but before Tom and Jerry could alight, the Little People had seen them and disappeared into the mountain. "After them, quick," Hortense cried, slipping from Tom's back, and the others followed her as she ran into the entrance to the mountain. The passage was small and dark and wound this way and that. Soon it ended, and Hortense and the others came into the land where the blue moon was shining as before. But nowhere was there any sign of the Little People. "What shall we do now?" Hortense asked when they had all stopped, not knowing what to do next.