And all night long on Peggy’s thumb the green stone winked and twinkled at the fire.
CHAPTER XI
THE LAST ADVENTURE
“I wish it wasn’t such a wet day,” said Peggy, lying full length in the loft amongst the hay, and looking through the cobwebby little window at the driving rain.
“Why, what does the rain matter?” asked the Giant, coming through the roof, and lying down in the hay, too, with both legs dangling out of the trap-door. And the sunshine poured through the hole he had made, and a big patch of blue sky gleamed above it.
“Oh dear!” said Peggy, “I never noticed I had the Ring on! What waste of a wish! The garden boy said it was going to clear in half an hour anyway. Nannie thinks I’m in the garden,” she went on, “but I ran up here out of the rain. Hadn’t we better go out again now it’s stopped?”
“Oh, do let’s stop here for a bit,” said the Giant. “I’m so stiff from yesterday’s digging. I stayed on and did a lot after you’d gone. Look here,” and he pulled handfuls of glittering red and green stones out of his pocket.
“I didn’t mean to go off suddenly like that,” said Peggy rather shamefacedly. “I hope you thanked the Pixies for us both?”
“Oh yes, that was all right,” said the Giant, scooping together all the hay within reach and making it into a pillow for his head. “By the way,” he went on lazily, staring up at the dusty beams, “do you realise this is our last adventure?”
“Why, so it is!” said Peggy with a gasp. “Oh, how awful! I can’t bear to think I shan’t see you again,” and she caught hold of the Giant’s little finger and hugged it hard. “What shall I do without you?”