On a pair of short, stout legs he wore immense jack-boots, his Herculean shoulders and chest were adorned with a leathern doublet, and in the belt round his waist were conspicuously stuck a pair of pistols and a dagger.

Altogether, a more ugly or sinister gentleman of his inches it would have been hard to find in all broad England.

Stopping deliberately before Sir Norman, he placed a hand on each hip, and in a deep, guttural voice, addressed him: "So, sir knight--for such I perceive you are--you are anxious to know something of that old ruin yonder ?" "Well," said Sir Norman, so far recovering from his surprise as to be able to speak, "suppose I am?
Have you anything to say against it, my little friend ?" "Oh, not in the least!" said the dwarf, with a hoarse chuckle.

"Only, instead of wasting your breath asking this good man, who professes such utter ignorance, you had better apply to me for information." Again Sir Norman surveyed the little Hercules from head to foot for a moment, in silence, as one, nowadays, would an intelligent gorilla.
"You think so--do you?
And what may you happen to know about it, my pretty little friend ?" "O Lord!" exclaimed the landlord, to himself, with a frightened face, while the dwarf "grinned horribly a ghastly smile" from ear to ear.
"So much, my good sir, that I would strongly advise you not to go near it, unless you wish to catch something worse than the plague.

There have been others--our worthy host, there, whose teeth, you may perceive, are chattering in his head, can tell you about those that have tried the trick, and--" "Well ?" said Sir Norman, curiously.
"And have never returned to tell what they found!" concluded the little monster, with a diabolical leer.