’So he was locked up; and in the evening the butler brought him in his supper.  And when he saw evening was come, he said:  “There’s one of them,” meaning there was one of the three days gone.

’But the butler went down stairs in a great fright; for he was one of the servants that had stolen the ring, and he said to the others:  “He knew me, and he said, ‘There’s one of them.’  And I won’t go near him again,” he said; “but let one of you go.”

’So the next evening the cook went up with the supper, and when she came in, he said the same way as before:  “There’s two of them,” meaning there was another day gone.  And the cook went down like the butler had gone, making sure he knew that she had a share in the robbery.

’The next day the third of the servants—­that was the housemaid—­brought him his supper; and he gave a great sigh, and said:  “There’s the third of them.”  So she went down and told the others; and they agreed it was best to make a confession to him; and they went and told him of their robberies; and they brought him the diamond ring; and they asked him to try and screen them some way; so he said he would do his best for them, and he said:  “I see a big turkey-gobbler out in the yard; and what you had best do is to open his mouth,” he said, “and to force the ring down it.”

’So they did that.  And then the landlord came up and asked could he tell him where the thief was to be found.  “Kill that turkey-gobbler in the yard,” he said, “and see what can you find in him.”  So they killed the turkey-gobbler, and cut him open, and there they found the diamond ring.

’Then the landlord gave him great rewards, and everyone in the country heard of him.

’And a neighbouring gentleman that heard of him said to the landlord:  “I’ll make a bet with you that if you bring him to dinner at my house, he won’t be able to tell what is under a cover on the table.”  So the landlord brought him; and when he was brought in, they asked him what was in the dish with the cover; and he thought he was done for, and he said:  “The fox is caught at last.”  And what was under the cover but a fox!  So whatever name he had before, he got a three times greater name now.

’But another gentleman made the same bet with the landlord; and when they came into the dinner, there was a dish with a cover, and the man had no notion what was under it; and he said:  “Robin’s done this time”—­his own name being Robin.  And what was there under the cover but a robin!  So he got great rewards after that, and he settled down and lived happy ever after.’

* * * * *

Then a red-faced young man said:  ’There was a young man one time, and his name was Stepney St. George, and his people said it was time for him to get married; and they brought twelve young ladies to stop in the house, the way he would make a choice among them.  And he used to be talking with them and walking in the garden; and there was one of them he got to like better than the rest, and the others got jealous of her, and used to be picking at her.  And when Stepney saw that, he brought her out one day into a field where there was a bull, and he covered with rings and bells of gold, and a golden door in his side.  And he opened the door and bade her to go in there, where she would be safe from the other eleven women.