"I am an exile just banished from my own country," said the little man. "King Vitius and his selfish wife drove me away because I have always said that there is a better country above us."
"Oh!" exclaimed Madge, "what stupid people they must be not to know of this beautiful America."
The man sobered, and Uncle Rupert asked him: "Where is this dull world, and what is your name?"
"My name is Pietas, and our people live in the center of the earth," replied the dwarf.
Uncle Rupert smiled as he watched the children staring with wide-open mouths.
"We shall all go with you," began the wily story-teller, looking out of the corner of his eye to see how his scheme was taking, "and help you to regain your place in your own land."
"I cannot go back, because they would kill me; and besides, if I told them what I have seen today, they would laugh me to scorn."
"We shall go and force them to take you back!" exclaimed Tom.
"But I do not want to go back," answered the little man. "This is a glorious country. Our sun does not shine so brightly as yours. If my people only knew the truth, they would never think of their country as the greatest and best one. It is a poor gloomy world."
"But!" pleaded Madge, "you can return with us when we have fulfilled our mission of proving what you told the king."