He began to make his way carefully through the hay, and was getting along fairly well when he heard a voice say,

“Where are you going?”

Humpty looked around and found he was beside a pretty little nest in which was one brown egg.

“Did you speak?” he asked.

“Yes,” replied the brown egg; “I asked where you were going.”

“Who are you?” enquired Humpty; “do you belong in our nest?”

“Oh, no!” answered the brown egg; “my name is Coutchie-Coulou, and the Black Bantam laid me about an hour ago.”

“Oh,” said Humpty proudly; “I belong to the Speckled Hen myself.”

“Do you, indeed!” returned Coutchie-Coulou.  “I saw her go by a little while ago, and she ’s much bigger than the Black Bantam.”

“Yes, and I ’m much bigger than you,” replied Humpty.  “But I ’m going out to see the world, and if you like to go with me I ’ll take good care of you.”

“Is n’t it dangerous for eggs to go about all by themselves?” asked Coutchie, timidly.

“Perhaps so,” answered Humpty; “but it ’s dangerous in the nest, too; my brothers might have smashed me with their kicking.  However, if we are careful we can’t come to much harm; so come along, little one, and I ’ll look after you.”

Coutchie-Coulou gave him her hand while he helped her out of the nest, and together they crept over the hay until they came to the barn floor.  They made for the door at once, holding each other by the hand, and soon came to the threshold, which appeared very high to them.

“We must jump,” said Humpty.

“I ’m afraid!” cried Coutchie-Coulou.  “And I declare! there ’s my mother’s voice clucking, she ’s coming this way.”

“Then hurry!” said Humpty.  “And do not tremble so or you will get yourself all mixed up; it does n’t improve eggs to shake them.  We will jump but take care not to bump against me or you may break my shell.  Now,—­one,—­two,—­three!”

They held each other’s hand and jumped, alighting safely in the roadway.  Then, fearing their mothers would see them, Humpty ran as fast as he could go until he and Coutchie were concealed beneath a rosebush in the garden.

“I ’m afraid we ’re bad eggs,” gasped Coutchie, who was somewhat out of breath.

“Oh, not at all,” replied Humpty; “we were laid only this morning, so we are quite fresh.  But now, since we are in the world, we must start out in search of adventure.  Here is a roadway beside us which will lead us somewhere or other; so come along, Coutchie-Coulou, and do not be afraid.”

The brown egg meekly gave him her hand, and together they trotted along the roadway until they came to a high stone wall, which had sharp spikes upon its top.  It seemed to extend for a great distance, and the eggs stopped and looked at it curiously.

“I ’d like to see what is behind that wall,” said Humpty, “but I do n’t think we shall be able to climb over it.”