“When they drew near home, they got quite thick entirely; ‘Now,’ says Jack, in a good-humored way, ’if you can give me a lift in robbing this crane’s nest, do; at any rate, I’m sure your honor won’t be my enemy.  I know you have too much good nature in your face to be one that wouldn’t help a lame dog over a style—­that is,’ says he, taking himself up for fear of offending the other,—­’I’m sure you’d be always inclined to help the weak side.’

“‘Thank you for the compliment,’ says, the dog; ’but didn’t I tell you that you have a friend in coort?’

“When Jack went back to the lake, he-could only sit and look sorrowfully at the tree, or walls; about the edge of it, without being able to do anything else.  He spent the whole day this way, till dinner-time, when what would you have of it, but he sees the darlin’ coming out to him, as fair and as blooming as an angel.  His heart, you may be sure, got up to his mouth, for he knew she would be apt to take him out of his difficulties.  When she came up—­

“‘Now, Jack,’ says she, ’there is not a minute to be lost, for I’m watch’d; and if it’s discovered that I gave you any assistance, we will both be destroyed.’

“‘Oh, murder sheery!’ (* Murder everlasting) says Jack, ’fly back, avourneen machree—­for rather than anything should happen you, I’d lose fifty-lives.’

“‘No,’ says she, ’I think I’ll be able to-get you over this, as well as the rest; so have a good heart, and be faithful’ ‘That’s it,’ replied Jack, ’that’s it, acushla—­my own correcthur to a shaving; I’ve a heart worth its weight in bank notes, and a more faithful boy isn’t alive this day nor I’m to yez all, ye darlings of the world.’

“She then pulled a small white wand out of her pocket, struck the lake, and there was the prettiest green ridge across it to the foot of the tree that ever eye beheld.  ‘Now,’ says she, turning her back to Jack, and stooping down to do something that he couldn’t see, ‘Take these,’ giving him her ten toes, ’put them against the tree, and you will have steps to carry you to the top, but be sure, for your life and mine, not to forget any of them.  If you do, my life will be taken tomorrow morning, for your master puts on my slippers with his own hands.’

“Jack was now going to swear that he would give up the whole thing and surrender his head at once; but when life looked at her feet, and saw no appearance of blood, he went over without more to do, and robbed the nest, taking down the eggs one by one, that he mightn’t brake them.  There was no end to his joy, as he secured the last egg; he instantly took down the toes, one after another, save and except the little one of the left foot, which in his joy and hurry he forgot entirely.  He then returned by the green ridge to the shore, and accordingly as he went along, it melted away into water behind him.

“‘Jack,’ says the charmer, ‘I hope you forgot none of my toes.’