But there was no place to hide in, for now they had gathered all round him in a vast crowd, so that whichever way he turned there before him they appeared--hundreds and hundreds of dark, excited faces, hundreds of grimy hands all pointing at him.

Then, all at once, he caught sight of an old rag of a garment lying on the ground among the ashes and cinders, and he thought he would cover himself with it, and picking it hastily up was just going to put it round him when a great roar of "No!" burst out from the crowd; he was almost deafened with the sound, so that he stood trembling with the old dirty rag of cloth in his hand.

Then one of the little men came up to him, and snatching the rag from his hand, flung it angrily down upon the floor; then as if afraid of remaining so near Martin, he backed away into the crowd again.
Just then Martin heard a very low voice close to his ear speaking to him, but when he looked round he could see no person near him.

He knew it was the same voice which had spoken to him in the cave where he slept, and had told him to go down into that place underground.
[Illustration: ] "Do not fear," said the gentle voice to Martin.

"Say to the little men that you have lost your clothes, and ask them for something to put on." Then Martin, who had covered his face with his hands to shut out the sight of the angry crowd, took courage, and looking at them, said, half sobbing, "O, Little Men, I've lost my clothes--won't you give me something to put on ?" This speech had a wonderful effect: instantly there was a mighty rush, all the Little Men hurrying away in all directions, shouting and tumbling over each other in their haste to get away, and by-and-by it looked to Martin as if they were having a great struggle or contest over something.