After a while the little Lantern Man came back to the place where the Piskey was still standing, and the light from the Lantern was brighter and softer than a hedge full of glow-worm lights shining all at once.
As the Lantern was passing the little Piskey, he called out louder than before, ‘Little Man in the Lantern, please stop; I want to ask you something.’ But the little Lantern Man did not stop, and he and his Lantern rushed by as quickly as before, and the poor little Piskey followed the rocking Lantern with his eyes over the great marsh.
Just as he was in despair of the wonderful little Lantern coming his way again, it came, and so fast did it come, and so afraid was he of its passing him without making himself heard, that he shouted with all his might, ‘Please, little Lantern Man, stop; I want to ask you something.’ And to his joy the little Lantern Man stopped. The door of the little Lantern opened wide, and a tiny, shining face looked out.
‘Did anybody call?’ asked the little Lantern Man in a voice so kind that the Piskey’s little heart leaped for joy.
‘Yes, I called,’ said the little Piskey. ‘I called twice before, but you did not stop.’
‘I never heard you call till now,’ said the little Lantern Man. ‘Who are you, and what do you want?’
‘I am an unfortunate little Piskey who has lost his laugh,’ answered the Piskey, ‘and I have tramped all the way from Tintagel Head to Rough Tor Marsh to ask if you have seen it.’
‘Lost your laugh, you poor little chap!’ ejaculated the little Lantern Man in the same kind voice. ‘How came you to lose it?’
The little Piskey told him how he had lost his laugh, and what Granfer Piskey had said, and how the mole who called herself the Lady Want had told him to come to him.
‘I would gladly help you to find your laugh if I knew where it was,’ said the Lantern Man when the Piskey had told him all; ‘but, unfortunately, I have never seen it.’