He liked to watch the busy hens and the downy little chicks. Every day he talked to a dear little bossy calf that had great soft velvety eyes. But after a while, when he had become well acquainted with the plump little rabbits and Bonnie Bess, a good old horse, he started in to see some of the pretty places around him. Not far from the house was a long shady lane path called “Lovers’ Lane,” and one summer afternoon Ray found himself sitting on the grass in Lovers’ Lane with his back against a large rock. It was a very warm day and Ray felt so sleepy that his eyes began to close in spite of himself.
Suddenly something tickled his nose and he brushed it away. He closed his eyes again to have a little nap when something tickled his ear and he quickly brushed that off. Once more he settled for a sleep when a very pronounced tickling at his neck made him jump to his feet.
“I wonder what is tickling me so?” exclaimed Ray, looking around.
All at once he caught sight of a little man so tiny that you could have taken him up and put him in your pocket. He stood right on the top of the rock and as his clothes were just the color of it, you could not see him unless you looked sharp. But there stood the tiny little fellow with his hands in his pockets, his legs far apart and a broad smile on his face as he winked at Ray.
“Did you tickle me when I was trying to go to sleep?” asked Ray.
The grin on the face of the little man broadened and he began to shake all over, he laughed so heartily.
“Excuse me,” he said; “I was only putting in my winter coal.”
Ray was greatly surprised, he didn’t know just what to think of the little fellow. He thought he had better introduce himself, so he said,
“My name is Ray, and I live in that white house with Uncle Josiah and Aunt Prudence.”
“My name is Pebble and I live in this brown rock with Mrs. Pebble and all the little Pebbles,” said the tiny man, laughing harder than ever.