"
The merry little queen took it from him, looked at it closely, saying
to herself: "Humph! I didn't think he could, but he did,"--and,
turning to Jim, said, much more graciously than before: "I suppose you
think yourself quite a cobbler; and so you are--for a mortal. Since
you have done your work so well, I will do as I said. Now," she
continued, handing him a little package about as big as a baby's
thumb, "plant these melon-seeds, and----"
"Are these little things melon seeds? They look too small,"
interrupted Jim,--for he had made no ceremony, even in the queen's
presence, about peeping into the package,--and it must be confessed
that they were very small indeed.
"Certainly they are, or I would not tell you so. They are the
magic melons of fairy-land. As I was about to say when you rudely
interrupted, plant----"
"I beg your pardon, your majes----"
[Illustration: "BEFORE NIMBLE JIM COULD GET BACK TO THE HOUSE, THE
YARD WAS FULL OF MELON-VINE."]
"_Will_ you keep still? Was there _ever_ such a chatterbox!" said
she.
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