`But I do know everything I know!' persisted the little fellow. `I know ever so many things! Everything, 'cept the things I don't know. And Sylvie knows all the rest.'

The Professor sighed, and gave it up. `Do you know what a Boojum is?'

`I know!' cried Bruno. `It's the thing what wrenches people out of their boots!'

`He means "bootjack",' Sylvie explained in a whisper.

`You ca'n't wrench people out of boots,' the Professor mildly observed.

Bruno laughed saucily. `Oo can, though! Unless they're welly tight in.'

`Once upon a time there was a Boojum--' the Professor began, but stopped suddenly. `I forget the rest of the Fable,' he said. `And there was a lesson to be learned from it. I'm afraid I forget that too.'

`I'll tell oo a Fable!' Bruno began in a great hurry. `Once there were a Locust, and a Magpie, and a Engine- driver. And the Lesson is, to learn to get up early--'

`it isn't a bit interesting!' Sylvie said contemptuously. `You shouldn't put the Lesson so soon.'

`When did you invent that Fable?' said the Professor. `Last week?'

`No!' said Bruno. `A deal shorter ago than that. Guess again!'

`I ca'n't guess,' said the Professor. `How long ago?'

`Why, it isn't invented yet!' Bruno exclaimed triumphantly. `But I have invented a lovely one! Shall I say it?'

`If you've finished inventing it,' said Sylvie. `And let the Lesson be "to try again"!'

`No,' said Bruno with great decision. `The Lesson are "not to try again"! Once there were a lovely china man, what stood on the chimbley-piece. And he stood, and he stood. And one day he tumbleded off, and he didn't hurt his self one bit. Only he would try again. And the next time he tumbleded off, he hurted his self welly much, and breaked off ever so much varnish.'

`But how did he come back on the chimney-piece after his first tumble?' said the Empress. (It was the first sensible question she had asked in all her life.)

`I put him there!' cried Bruno.

`Then I'm afraid you know something about his tumbling,' said the Professor. `Perhaps you pushed him?'

To which Bruno replied, very seriously, `Didn't pushed him much--he were a lovely china man,' he added hastily, evidently very anxious to change the subject.

`Come, my children!' said the Elfin-King, who had just entered the room. `We must have a little chat together, before you go to bed.' And he was leading them away, but at the door they let go his hands, and ran back again to wish the Professor good night.

`Good night, Professor, good night!' And Bruno solemnly shook hands with the old man, who gazed at him with a loving smile, while Sylvie bent down to press her sweet lips upon his forehead.

`Good night, little ones!' said the Professor. `You may leave me now--to ruminate. I'm as jolly as the day is long, except when it's necessary to ruminate on some very difficult subject. All of me,' he murmured sleepily as we left the room, `all of me, that isn't Bonhommie, is Rumination!'