"Long gray moss trailed from the eaves of the old buildings right down to the very ground and spread over the window casements like gray-green curtains to keep out the light, which it most certainly did.
"As the children passed the home of the Sand Man, by far the most neglected in the village, and to which the Queen pointed with evident pride, they lingered on the corner for a moment to look about the place.
"A cat came slowly out onto the old porch, yawned, stretched and went in. A dog half arose, as the sound of their noisy feet on the worn-out pavement disturbed his slumber, and raising his ears, glanced drowsily about, growled and then sank down to sleep under a green vine that sheltered one end of the porch.
"They moved slowly on, then stopped on the opposite corner and looked far down the silent and deserted street, where they saw a queer-looking individual, staggering and stumbling toward them.
"Now he would lunge forward head first into the trunk of an old tree; then, rousing himself, he would stagger onward only to fall over the curb stone, or run pell mell into a post. He finally tripped over a broken slab in the neglected walk and fell flat upon his face, from which position he seemed to arise with much difficulty.
"'Who is that staggering person' exclaimed Arthur, 'reeling toward us like some drunken man?'
"The Queen looked down the street as the boy spoke, and turning to the children with a smile upon her face, she excitedly exclaimed:
"'Why, children, here comes Mr. Sleepy Head to greet us! The Sand Man has sent him, for you know the Sand Man cannot leave his labors just now.'
"They stood waiting for him to draw near and could not help but laugh outright, as he again bumped squarely into a big tree.
"'Who is Mr. Sleepy Head?' inquired Arthur.