“They look just alike; only one is curly and one is weedy,” said Eddie. “That is so!” one and another of the group agreed in surprise. “I didn’t notice it before. Or is it just the moonlight?”
“They might be sisters,” said Nancy wonderingly. “Nelly and Anne!”
“Do we look alike?” whispered Nelly Sackett rather wistfully to Anne.
“I don’t know,” said Anne, trying not to look annoyed. “Costumes do change people a lot.” They sat down in the grass side by side, with their tails gracefully curled under them out of Doughboy’s reach.
“Everybody present?” asked Columbia. “No, ma’am,” said Uncle Remus. “One chile missing. Hello! Here it comes!”
A funny little noise like a bumble bee was heard, one could not say from which direction. It grew louder and louder, and presently into the circle hopped the strangest little round figure, with brown legs, brown body, brown arms. It seemed a weird old gnome with a long grey beard, a hooked red nose and a pointed cap. He was blowing on some instrument that might be a pipe.
“It’s a Brownie!” shouted Freddie. Eddie cowered closer to his mother’s skirts. “Is he real?” he asked. “Where did he come from?”
Indeed the Brownie was so real that no one would have recognized him. He went dancing around the circle, teasing the nearly frantic Doughboy, then disappeared into the woods. “Oh he’s gone! I wanted to see him some more!” cried Freddie. On the word the Brownie reappeared, dancing right up to Freddie and tossing a cone into his lap. Another cone hit Eddie on the nose. “It’s Gilda!” he cried. “I know Gilda now!” and off the two little Indians raced in a wild pursuit of the Brownie. Presently they brought him back a laughing prisoner.
“We’ll burn him at the stake!” yelled the Indians.
“Cannot burn ze kobold!” cried Gilda with a squeaky voice that was still funnier with her accent.