The reply came between broken sobs.  “I could bear it no longer,” said Little Boy Blue.  “I was required to watch the cows and the sheep from early morn till dark, and often I must needs arise at night to run forth to the fold when there was an alarm of wolves.  Day after day my head grew heavier from want of sleep, until at last I could keep my eyes open no longer.  I stole under the haystack to snatch a few extra winks, and when I was discovered my shame and disgrace were heralded forth to all the world.”  And again the poor child sobbed without restraint.

“And this dear little girl with you,” asked Cinderella, who had been walking side by side with Everychild, “who is she?”

Little Boy Blue checked his grief long enough to stare at Cinderella incredulously.  “Is it possible that there is anywhere a person who does not recognize Little Bo-Peep?” he asked.

“So it is!” exclaimed Cinderella.  And bending tenderly above the form of Little Bo-Peep she asked, “And why do you weep so bitterly, Little Bo-Peep?”

The child could scarcely speak, so spent was she with weeping; but little by little Cinderella drew from her the truth.  The little thing was much too small to be entrusted with the care of sheep, and her life had been made wretched by fear of the great dogs which were never absent from the flocks, and by the dark rumors of wolves which the shepherds were forever repeating.

Grettel expressed her opinion of the case without reserve.  “It may be hysteria,” she said, “though it looks more to me like a complete nervous break-down.”

“I hardly think so,” said Cinderella smiling.  “We’ll just take them along with us, and they’ll be all right.”

And so, with the addition of yet another pair to their numbers, they quickened their pace along the road.

They were becoming hungrier every minute—­even the sons and daughters of the Old Woman who lived in a shoe, who, as we have seen, had had far too light a supper—­and while they were willing to sleep without shelter, if they were called upon to do so, they all hoped that they need not go to sleep supperless.

While there was still a short period of daylight remaining they came into an ancient town situated at the foot of a hill on which a castle stood; and upon questioning a number of the townspeople they learned that they had entered the realm of a cruel king, who resided in the castle on the hill.

“Take my advice and escape while ye may,” said one ancient man with a long white beard.  He had addressed Everychild.  He added, “The king hath a grudge against one manly little lad who greatly resembles you, and if he once sets eyes on you I should tremble for the consequences.”

Everychild thanked the old man for this well-meant counsel.  “But,” said he, “my friends and I are weary, and we must think of resting for the night before we set forth on our way again.”