“I will not,” said the Philosopher. “Many of the insectivora also practice this custom. Ants, for example, are a respectable race living in well-ordered communities. They have attained to a most complex and artificial civilization, and will frequently adventure far afield on colonising or other expeditions from whence they return with a rich booty of aphides and other stock, who thenceforward become the servants and domestic creatures of the republic. As they neither kill nor eat their captives, this practice will be termed kidnapping. The same may be said of bees, a hardy and industrious race living in hexagonal cells which are very difficult to make. Sometimes, on lacking a queen of their own, they have been observed to abduct one from a less powerful neighbour, and use her for their own purposes without shame, mercy, or remorse.” “Will you not understand?” screamed the Thin Woman. “I will not,” said the Philosopher. “Semi-tropical apes have been rumoured to kidnap children, and are reported to use them very tenderly indeed, sharing their coconuts, yams, plantains, and other equatorial provender with the largest generosity, and conveying their delicate captives from tree to tree (often at great distances from each other and from the ground) with the most guarded solicitude and benevolence.” “I am going to bed,” said the Thin Woman, “your stirabout is on the hob.” “Are there lumps in it, my dear?” said the Philosopher. “I hope there are,” replied the Thin Woman, and she leaped into bed. That night the Philosopher was afflicted with the most extraordinary attack of rheumatism he had ever known, nor did he get any ease until the grey morning wearied his lady into a reluctant slumber. CHAPTER VI The Thin Woman of Inis Magrath slept very late that morning, but when she did awaken her impatience was so urgent that she could scarcely delay to eat her breakfast. Immediately after she had eaten she put on her bonnet and shawl and went through the pine wood in the direction of Gort na Cloca Mora. In a short time she reached the rocky field, and, walking over to the tree in the southeast corner, she picked up a small stone and hammered loudly against the trunk of the tree. She hammered in a peculiar fashion, giving two knocks and then three knocks, and then one knock. A voice came up from the hole. “Who is that, please?” said the voice. “Ban na Droid of Inis Magrath, and well you know it,” was her reply. “I am coming up, Noble Woman,” said the voice, and in another moment the Leprecaun leaped out of the hole. “Where are Seumas and Brigid Beg?” said the Thin Woman sternly. “How would I know where they are?” replied the Leprecaun. “Wouldn’t they be at home now?” “If they were at home I wouldn’t have come here looking for them,” was her reply. “It is my belief that you have them.” “Search me,” said the Leprecaun, opening his waistcoat.