carried off to be killed, knew not what to make of it. Huggermugger
and his wife laughed till the tears ran down their faces, and made
such a noise in their merriment, that the sailors wished they were
further off. They, however, were in as great glee as the giant and
giantess, and began to entertain such a good opinion of them, that
they were ready to assent to anything the Huggermuggers proposed. In
fact, except in matter of size, they could see very little difference
between the giants and themselves. All Zebedee Nabbum's warlike and
elephant-trapping schemes melted away entirely, and he even began to
have a sort of conscientious scruple against enticing away the big
fellow who proved to be such a jolly good-humored giant. He was
prepared for resistance. He would have even liked the fun of throwing
a noose over his head, and pulling him down and harpooning him, but
this good-humored, merry laughter, this motherly caressing, was too
much for Zebedee. He was overcome. Even Little Jacket was astonished.
The once dreaded giant was in all respects like them--only O, so much
bigger!

So, after a good deal of friendly talk, Huggermugger invited the whole
boat's crew to go home with him to dinner, and even to spend some days
with him, if they would. Little Jacket liked the proposal, but Zebedee
said they must first send back a message to the ship, to say where
they were going. Huggermugger send his card by the boat, to the rest
of the ship's company--it was a huge piece of pasteboard, as big as a
dining-table--saying, that he and Mrs. H. would be happy, some other
day, to see all who would do him the honor of a visit. He would come
himself and fetch them in his fish-basket, as the road was rough, and
difficult for such little folks to travel.