For three days, the twins left the pouch open, for three days it was cold in the Hopi country, and for three nights there were frosts which damaged the growing corn. The Hopis presently held a council to see what could be done. After the Hopis had talked and talked, and everybody in the pueblo had been asked for his advice, an old man chanced to say: “We have not yet asked the lame boy and the blind boy. Suppose we ask them to the council, too. They may be able to give us some advice.” At this many laughed, but the twins were sent for, after all. The lame lad hobbled to the council ground with his blind brother clinging to his sleeve. Then the lame lad leaned upon his brother and told the Hopis that he and his twin could work magic to stop the frost and save the corn, but that for doing this, the Hopis must give them the promised sacred stone. Unwilling to lose their corn and live half starved during the next winter, the Hopis promised faithfully to give the boys the sacred stone. So the boys closed the first buckskin bag, and the corn began to grow again. [Illustration] By the midsummer, the tasseled corn was growing splendidly. The twins, who had worked hard, then asked for the second sacred stone. But the Hopis were unwilling to pay the promised wage. That night the twins let the cutworm out of the second bag, and before the morning he had worked a world of mischief in the corn. Once again the Hopis held a council, and once again they called in the brothers. “Yes,” said the boys. “We have magic strong enough to clear the cutworm from the corn, but you must promise us the second sacred stone.” So the Hopis promised faithfully to give the brothers the Stone of Turquoise, and the boys then closed the bag from which the cutworm had crept. The instant they did so the cutworm vanished from the corn. At harvest time, the tall stalks of corn were more beautiful than ever. The brothers now asked for the three sacred stones--the Stone of Silver, the Stone of Turquoise and the Stone of Purple Shell. “Be off!” said the Hopis. “You shall not have the stones.” And they threatened the boys that they would send them away from the mesa. Returning to their room, the boys opened the last of the buckskin bags. The sky grew dark; the wind began to howl over the mesa; the corn stalks shuddered, and tossed their ripening leaves. Suddenly huge hail stones began to tumble down. The hearts of the Hopis grew cold with fear, for they knew that the hail would beat down the corn, and that the ears would rot rather than ripen. “Stop the hail with your magic!” they cried to the boys. But the boys paid no heed till the Hopis put the sacred stones into their hands. Then the hail stopped, the storm cleared away as swiftly as it had gathered, and the brothers left the mesa carrying the stones for which the Gods had asked. On the rocky stairs leading from the pueblo to the ground, the magic hail stones were shining and melting in the sun. [Illustration]