With that the Vagabond drew a long breath, for he had been talking rapidly; and, as he sank into silence, the happy children gazed upon him with a feeling of pride that had slowly grown from dread to friendship and almost to love. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER X IN THE VILLAGE OF HIDE AND SEEK A general burst of applause greeted the ears of the story-teller as he ceased speaking and sank into silence. All the boys now rose with merry faces and surrounding the old oaken bucket, journeyed together to the old well, while the little girls sat gazing intently upon the stranger, as if he were the greatest man in the whole world. One little girl whispered to another little girl that some day he might be President of the United States, but the other little girl gave it as her honest opinion that he should have been long ago. Many of the others were now almost as much interested in the man as in his wonderful story. A little girl asked him if Harpers Ferry was very far from there; while another wanted to know if he could call around the next day for she was anxious to introduce him to her father and mother, who, she declared, would be more than delighted to meet him. The Vagabond's only answer to all was a good-natured smile. When the water arrived, and it had been passed around to the children, the Vagabond helped himself to his heart's content, after which he proceeded to tell the last of his story. "The Queen did not have to wait long after pressing the button, for it rang a bell that summoned into her presence a finely liveried butler, who, when he learned the wants of Her Royal Highness, glided silently down the steps of the throne. Presently two court attendants entered, bearing a tray on which were a number of glasses filled with a fluid referred to by the Queen as Nectar; although, as Maud said, it was too good for language to describe. Shortly after the refreshment they started to visit the Village of Hide and Seek. "When they were part way down the steps some little doll in the village spread the news of their coming, and all the dolls, almost wild with joy, dropped their playthings and flocked to meet them. "The Queen and the children followed a beautiful, pebbly path that led through an orchard lying to the north of the village, for they wanted to enter upon the main street; and as they went slowly along they passed beneath boughs laden almost to breaking with ripe, mellow chocolate drops, while the path was lined on either side with bushes where great, rich, juicy clusters of gum drops hung, ready to fall to the ground. "They were soon joined by the romping dolls, and together they walked down the main street to the public square and paused in front of the beautiful Temple of Music.