sounds of their preparations for departure, mingled with an occasional
word of direction, and anxious to know whether the removal of the
stone
had made an opening into the goblins' house, he put in his hand to
feel.
It went in a good way, and then came in contact with something soft.
He
had but a moment to feel it over, it was so quickly withdrawn: it was
one of the toeless goblin-feet. The owner of it gave a cry of fright.
"What's the matter, Helfer?" asked his mother.
"A beast came out of the wall, and licked my foot."
"Nonsense! There are no wild beasts in our country," said his father.
"But it was, father. I felt it."
"Nonsense, I say. Will you malign your native realms and reduce them
to
a level with the country up-stairs? That is swarming with wild beasts of
every description."
Madhuri Noah
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