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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rainbow Book Tales of Fun & Fancy, by 
+Mabel Henriette Spielmann
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Rainbow Book Tales of Fun & Fancy
+
+Author: Mabel Henriette Spielmann
+
+Illustrator: Arthur Rackham
+             Hugh Thomson
+             Bernard Partridge
+             Lewis Baumer
+
+Release Date: September 16, 2011 [EBook #37455]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RAINBOW BOOK TALES--FUN, FANCY ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by David Edwards, Matthew Wheaton and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This
+file was produced from images generously made available
+by The Internet Archive)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+    THE RAINBOW BOOK
+
+
+          _BY THE SAME AUTHOR_
+
+            LITTLEDOM CASTLE
+
+            MY SON AND I
+
+            MARGERY REDFORD
+
+            THE LOVE FAMILY
+
+            THE CHILD OF THE AIR
+
+
+    _All rights reserved_
+
+
+    [Illustration: _The Fish-King and the Dog-Fish_]
+
+
+    [Illustration:
+                   The
+                   Rainbow
+                   Book
+
+                   Tales of Fun & Fancy
+
+                   By
+                   Mrs. M. H. SPIELMANN
+
+                   Illustrated by
+                   Arthur Rackham
+                   Hugh Thomson
+                   Bernard Partridge
+                   Lewis Baumer
+                   Harry Rountree
+                   C. Wilhelm
+
+                   NEW YORK
+                   FREDERICK WARNE AND CO.
+                   1909]
+
+    TO
+
+    BARBARA MARY RACKHAM
+
+    WITH ALL GOOD WISHES
+
+    FOR HER FUTURE HAPPINESS
+
+                    MABEL H. SPIELMANN
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE
+
+
+It's all very well--but you, and I, and most of us who are healthy in
+mind and blithe of spirit, love to give rein to our fun and fancy, and
+to mingle fun with our fancy and fancy with our fun.
+
+The little Fairy-people are the favourite children of Fancy, and were
+born into this serious world ages and ages ago to help brighten it, and
+make it more graceful and dainty and prettily romantic than it was. They
+found the Folk-lore people already here--grave, learned people whose
+learning was all topsy-turvy, for it dealt with toads, and storms, and
+diseases, and what strange things would happen if you mixed them up
+together, and how the devil would flee if you did something with a herb,
+and how the tempest would stop suddenly, as Terence records, if you
+sprinkled a few drops of vinegar in front of it. No doubt, since then
+thousands of people have sprinkled tens of thousands of gallons of good
+vinegar before advancing tempests, and although tempests pay far less
+attention to the liquid than the troubled waters to a pint of oil, the
+sprinklers and their descendants have gone on believing with a touching
+faith. It is pretty, but not practical.
+
+But what _is_ pretty and practical too, is that all of us should
+sometimes let our fancy roam, and that we should laugh as well, even
+over a Fairy-story. Yet there are some serious-minded persons, very
+grave and very clever, who get angry if a smile so much as creeps into a
+Fairy-tale, and if our wonder should be disturbed by anything so worldly
+as a laugh. A Fairy-tale, they say, should be like an old Folk-tale,
+marked by sincerity and simplicity--as if humour cannot be sincere and
+simple too. "The true Fairy-story is not comic." Why not? Of this we may
+be sure--take all the true humourless Fairy-stories and take
+"Alice"--and "Alice" with its fun and fancy will live beside them as
+long as English stories are read, loved for its fancy and its fun, and
+hugged and treasured for its jokes and its laughter. The one objection
+is this: the "true Fairy-story" appeals to all children, young and old,
+in all lands, equally, by translation; and jokes and fun are sometimes
+difficult to translate. But that is on account of the shortcomings of
+language, and it is hard to make young readers suffer by starving them
+of fun, because the power of words is less absolute than the power of
+fancy in its merrier mood.
+
+Some people, of course, take their Fairies very seriously indeed, and
+we cannot blame them, for it is a very harmless and very beautiful
+mental refreshment. Some, indeed, not only believe firmly in Fairies--in
+their existence and their exploits--but believe themselves to be
+actually visited by the Little People. For my part, I would rather be
+visited by a Fairy than by a Spook any day, or night: but when the
+"sincerity" of some of us drove the Fairies out, the world was left so
+blank and unimaginative, that the Spooks had to be invited in. The
+admixture of faith and imagination produces strange results, while it
+raises us above the commonplaceness of everyday life.
+
+But, as I say, certain favoured people, mostly little girls, it is true,
+are regularly visited by Fairies even in the broad daylight, and they
+watch them at their pretty business, at their games and play (for
+Fairies, you may be sure, play and laugh, however much the Folk-lorists
+may frown when we are made to laugh with them). Two hundred and fifty
+years ago a Cornish girl declared that she had wonderful adventures with
+the Fairies--and she meant truly what she said. And it is only fifty
+years since an educated lady wrote a sincere account of her doings with
+Fairies and theirs with her, in an account which was reprinted in one of
+the most serious of papers, and which showed that the lady, like the
+uneducated Cornish girl two centuries before, was a true "fairy-seer."
+Here is a part of her story:--
+
+"I used to spend a great deal of my time alone in our garden, and I
+think it must have been soon after my brother's death that I first saw
+(or perhaps recollect seeing) Fairies. I happened one day to break, with
+a little whip I had, the flower of a buttercup: a little while after, as
+I was resting on the grass, I heard a tiny but most beautiful voice
+saying, 'Buttercup, who has broken your house?' Then another voice
+replied, 'That little girl that is lying close by you.' I listened in
+great wonder, and looked about me, until I saw a daisy, in which stood a
+little figure not larger, certainly, than one of its petals.
+
+"When I was between three and four years old we removed to London, and I
+pined sadly for my country home and friends. I saw none of them for a
+long time, I think because I was discontented; I did not try to make
+myself happy. At last I found a copy of Shakespeare in my father's
+study, which delighted me so much (though I don't suppose I understood
+much of it) that I soon forgot we were living where I could not see a
+tree or a flower. I used to take the book and my little chair, and sit
+in a paved yard we had. (I could see the sky there.) One day, as I was
+reading the 'Midsummer Night's Dream,' I happened to look up, and saw
+before me a patch of soft, green grass with the Fairy-ring upon it:
+whilst I was wondering how it came, my old friends appeared and acted
+the whole play (I suppose to amuse me). After this they often came, and
+did the same with the other plays."
+
+There! what do you say to that? Do you wonder that the good folk of
+Blagdon, for example, still point to the hill "where the fairies come to
+dance," and show you the Fairy-rings, like that which Cedric saw (as is
+recounted in this book), with the Little People capering about? Of
+course, the country folk don't laugh at them, because it is all so
+mysterious, and, as the scientific professors declare, abnormal, if not
+supernormal; but do you believe for one moment, that in their joyous
+dance the fairies do not laugh and joke as well as play and caper? The
+Bird-Fairy, as appears later, was always grave and loving, and didn't
+laugh--but then _she_ was an enchanted Princess, and had sad and serious
+business on hand, and was not quite sure, sanguine though she was, of
+defeating the machinations of the cunning and wicked Wizard. But look at
+the classic Grimm, at the tiny, dancing, capering tailors whose
+portraits Cruikshank drew so well in it, and say if there is not a peal
+of laughter in every open mouth of them, and a chuckle in every limb and
+joint. Not "comic," Mr. Folk-lorist? Why, they are the very spirit and
+personification of comedy and fun!
+
+But then your scientist comes along and tries to explain away the
+Fairy-rings themselves, which have defied explanation since Fairy-rings
+first came among us. Once at Kinning Park at Glasgow (and thousands of
+times elsewhere) four Fairy-rings appeared in one night--on a
+cricket-ground, if you please! on which the cricketers had been
+continuously playing and practising; and the poets said that they were
+made by the Fairies dancing under the moonlight, or, when the moon went
+to bed, by the lamplight of a glow-worm. That, _I_ think, must be the
+truth, simple and sincere. Each ring was a belt of grass darker and
+greener than the surrounding turf, and was eight or ten inches broad;
+and the largest were nine and ten feet in diameter, and the others five
+and six, measuring from the centre of the belt. And the circles were
+accurate and the advent of them quite sudden. Clearly, the Fairies
+_must_ have made them. But then a learned professor arose and lectured
+about them before the British Association. He was a great naturalist,
+and said that the rings contained a great number of toad-stools. And he
+brought along a chemist who analysed the fungi, and said he found in
+them a lot of phosphoric acid and potash and peroxide of iron and
+sulphuric acid, and a lot of things the fairies had never heard of and
+certainly never brought there, and he said that that, with phosphated
+alkali and magnesia, accounted for the rings! And then another great
+professor said that they must have been years in coming, and that
+electricity might have something to do with it, and that small rings
+sometimes spread to fifty yards in diameter--which only proves the
+wonderful power of happy industry of the Fairies, even in their revels
+and in their play.
+
+So much for the Fairies.
+
+But everybody is not in love with Fairies; some people don't care for
+them, some (as we have seen) don't even believe in them! Many don't care
+to read about them, being insensible to their grace and pretty elegance,
+their exquisite dignity, and their ever-present youth. Who ever heard of
+a middle-aged fairy? Such folk, be their age what it may, generally
+prefer fun; especially do they love what Charles Dickens once for all
+defined and established as the Spirit of Christmas. Well, here they may
+find Father Christmas at home, and on his rounds. Here they will find
+revealed and laid bare the whole secret and mystery of Santa
+Claus--where the presents come from, and where they are stored--how they
+are packed and how delivered while we are all asleep in our beds,
+delivered from the waits. Here, too, the "old-fangled father" is
+justified in the eyes of his "new-fangled sons," who recognise that
+fundamental truths--and such truths!--are not shaken by the on-coming
+tide of Time. And here, besides, you may learn what goes on on that
+other side of the moon which we never see, and what is its service to
+Man, and to Woman and Child as well. And for the first time in the
+history of romance we discover what it was that the Sleeping Beauty
+dreamt. And there are stories of other kinds--with a touch of pathos,
+too.
+
+Story-telling is the oldest of the arts--the art of which we never
+tire--the art which will be out-lived by none other, however
+fascinating, however beautiful, however perfect. It may deal with human
+thought and human passion; it may appeal to the highest intellect and
+the profoundest sentiments of men; or just to the brightest and
+dreamiest fancy of the young. Be it but well told, even though it does
+not stir our emotions, the little story delights the imagination, and
+makes us grateful to the teller for an hour well spent or pleasantly
+whiled away. That is the greatest reward of the writer, as it is the
+sole ambition of the author of these little tales.
+
+                                              _Mister_ M. H. SPIELMANN.
+
+
+
+
+    CONTENTS
+
+
+    ADVENTURES IN WIZARD-LAND--
+
+      _Illustrated by_ ARTHUR RACKHAM, A.R.W.S.
+
+       I. A Knock at the Red Door
+
+      II. The Wizard at Home
+
+     III. The Bird-Fairy Speaks
+
+      IV. The Lost Catseye
+
+       V. In the Fish-King's Realm
+
+      VI. The Mystery of the Crab
+
+     VII. The Magic Bracelets
+
+    VIII. The Spell--and how it Worked
+
+    THE OLD-FANGLED FATHER AND HIS NEW-FANGLED SONS
+
+    THE LITTLE PICTURE GIRL
+      _Illustrated by_ HUGH THOMSON, R.I.
+
+    THE SLEEPING BEAUTY'S DREAM
+      _Illustrated by_ BERNARD PARTRIDGE, R.I.
+
+    THE GAMEKEEPER'S DAUGHTER
+      _Illustrated by_ LEWIS BAUMER
+
+    ALL ON A FIFTH OF NOVEMBER
+
+    FATHER CHRISTMAS AT HOME
+      _Illustrated by_ ARTHUR RACKHAM, A.R.W.S.
+
+    A BIRTHDAY STORY
+
+    LITTLE STARRY
+
+    CEDRIC'S UNACCOUNTABLE ADVENTURE
+      _Illustrated by_ HARRY ROUNTREE
+
+    ROSELLA
+
+    THE CUCKOO THAT LIVED IN THE CLOCK-HOUSE
+
+    CHRISTMAS AT THE COURT OF KING JORUM
+      _Illustrated by_ HUGH THOMSON, R.I.
+
+    ONE APRIL DAY
+
+    THE STORM THE TEAPOT BREWED
+
+    MONICA THE MOON CHILD
+      _Illustrated by_ C. WILHELM
+
+
+
+
+    ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+    THE FISH-KING AND THE DOG-FISH
+
+    "SO YOU'VE COME TO SEE THE WIZARD," HE SAID
+
+    ITS HEAD WAS PATTED GRACIOUSLY
+
+    WHAT A GLORIOUS RIDE THAT WAS
+
+    SHE STROKED IT--ACTUALLY STROKED IT
+
+    TAKING THE BOY AND GIRL BY A HAND, HE LED THEM
+
+    THE LITTLE PICTURE GIRL
+
+    IN MARCHED A STOUT BEADLE
+
+    THEN SHE ACCEPTED HIS INVITATION TO DANCE
+
+    "IT IS YOU, O PRINCE, THE YOUTH OF MY DREAM!"
+
+    "YOU CAN JUST HAND OVER THAT PHEASANT"
+
+    "WHO ARE YOU, THEN?"
+
+    SHE RAN AND FETCHED HIS PRESENTS SHE WAS ANXIOUS TO SHOW
+
+    IT WAS A VERY, VERY LONG LADDER
+
+    THE TWO REINDEER ... SPED RAPIDLY AWAY
+
+    LAY LOW, AND HATCHED AN AUDACIOUS PLOT
+
+    "OF COURSE YOUR YOUNG MAJESTY HAS GOT THE KEY?"
+
+    "I REALLY DO LOOK EVERY INCH A KING!"
+
+    LOOKING NEITHER TO THE RIGHT NOR TO THE LEFT
+
+    ROUND ABOUT WAS NOTHING BUT MOUNTAINS, CRATERS, CAVERNS
+
+
+
+
+    ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT
+
+
+    ADVENTURES IN WIZARD-LAND
+
+    "ALL THESE POOR CREATURES WERE CHILDREN"
+
+    HE TOOK TWO JEWELLED CIRCLETS OUT OF A SATCHEL
+
+    "I AM THE BIRD-FAIRY," SHE SAID
+
+    THEY MET MANY A QUAINT CREATURE
+
+    THE WIZARD, WITH A GROAN OF PAIN, HAD LEAPT BACK
+
+    LYING FULL LENGTH ON THE GROUND NEXT TO HIS SHATTERED INVENTION
+
+    INITIAL
+
+    HE MOUNTED IT VERY CAREFULLY
+
+    SMILED AS SHE WAVED GOOD-BYE
+
+    "I SUPPOSE YOU KNOW YOU'RE TRESPASSING?"
+
+    MONICA THE MOON CHILD
+
+    SHE WAS SOARING LIKE A BIRD RIGHT OUT INTO THE NIGHT
+
+    A TINY FIGURE, NO BIGGER THAN MONICA'S DOLL
+
+    ROWS UPON ROWS OF THE BEAUTIFULLEST ROSES
+
+    THE MAN LIFTED HIS ARM SO THAT HIS FACE WAS ONCE
+    MORE HIDDEN IN GLOOM
+
+
+    _The Title-page and End-papers are by_ MR. CARTON MOORE PARK.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+A KNOCK AT THE RED DOOR
+
+
+"It's a shame, Dulcie. We mayn't go out just because it's raining a few
+drops," said the boy at the nursery window.
+
+"Yes, a fearful shame," replied his sister. She always sympathised with
+him and gave in to him, right or wrong. She carefully propped her doll
+bolt upright on a chair and came to where he stood. "Never mind, Cyril.
+Let's play at something."
+
+"Yes, but I do mind. It's too bad! It's always 'you mustn't' this, 'you
+mustn't' that. It would be a saving of breath if they'd just say the few
+things that we _might_ do. Are you willing to go on putting up with it?
+I suppose you are, as you're only a girl."
+
+"No, I don't want to, but I've got to. Mother says it is for our good,
+and we are spoilt."
+
+"I don't think so at all. It's very hard lines," growled Cyril. "I'm
+sure the garden isn't a bit wet, and the rocks have only a sprinkle."
+
+Certainly the window panes had more than a sprinkle trickling down them.
+But the birds were twittering fussily in the bushes and amongst the ivy,
+and the garden was looking its best in the summer shower. Fitful gleams
+of sunshine cast loving touches here and there on the roses and the
+sweet honeysuckle; and the tall white lilies never looked fresher or
+smarter. Beyond, were those tempting rocks, with their surroundings of
+sand, which rose so strangely in that part of inland Kent, telling of
+former ages and of the vagaries of the sea and river. The rocks were the
+happy playground of these lucky Twins, who lived in the fine solitary
+house close by, and who were now peering so disconsolately through the
+window, flattening their noses against the glass blurred with the
+pattering rain.
+
+They were exactly the same height; they resembled one another in
+feature, and, being twins, were both nine years old; and there the
+likeness ended, for his dark hair was short and thick, and hers was fair
+and very long. She was timid and gentle though her bright face was very
+happy; he, what is termed "a handful."
+
+"_I_ know!" exclaimed Dulcie after a moment's silence, drawing her
+brother away from the melancholy amusement of tracing down the trailing
+drops with his finger until they disappeared mysteriously at the bottom
+of the glass. "I know! Let's play 'Birds, Beasts, and Fishes.'"
+
+Cyril cast a lingering look at the tiresome dark clouds, then with a
+sigh and a frown turned round in token of consent, graciously suffered
+himself to be settled at the table with paper and pencil, and was soon
+excitedly trying to guess what Dulcie's Bird could be that began with
+the letter c, had four between, and ended with an _e_.
+
+"It's very easy, really," pleaded Dulcie, burning to tell. "Do you give
+it up?"
+
+Cyril wasn't so easily beaten as that, and thought till he grew
+impatient.
+
+"Shall I tell you?--_Let_ me tell you!" urged his sister.
+
+"If you like," he replied magnanimously.
+
+"Canare!"
+
+"I'm sure it's spelt with a _y_," he said, as if he weren't quite
+certain in spite of his words.
+
+They argued who should score the mark, and settled the point by counting
+it a draw. She followed it up with a Fish, which was _s_, two between,
+and an _l_, which puzzled Cyril until he found, of course, that it was
+"soul."
+
+Believing he had lost again, he allowed his interest in the game to
+flag, and still restless, he ran to the window.
+
+"Hooray! it's fine now," he cried. "Come along, we don't want hats!"
+
+"_Ought_ we to go, do you think, Cyril, without asking?"
+
+"I'm not going to ask, not if I know it. We would be sure to be
+'don't'-ed. I'm going out. It's so stuffy here. You can do as you like."
+
+"If you go, I shall go too," she replied quickly, following him and
+taking his hand. He didn't quite like that, but he felt, as she was
+"only a woman," he would let her.
+
+Away they ran lightly, out into the sunshine, happy to be in the warm,
+scented air, through the garden, off to the dear old rocks which were
+already drying nicely, and at once a fine game of hide-and-seek was in
+full swing.
+
+Dulcie had gone again to hide, and Cyril had his face buried in his
+hands, waiting for the familiar "Cuckoo!" when he was startled instead
+by a faint cry of surprise, followed by "Cyril, come quick! Quick!"
+
+"It must be a beetle or a toad, or something," he said to himself as he
+hurried to the spot from which her voice seemed to come; but it was only
+after she had repeated her excited cries that he found her at last.
+
+She had found a passage through the rocks which they had never noticed
+before!
+
+"Come along!" cried Cyril joyously at the sight of it. "Come along!
+we'll go on a voyage of discovery!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Down the passage they went, far and carefully, for there was only a
+glimmer of light in a thin streak peeping through, because the rocks all
+but joined at the top, and the ground was uneven and slippery. But in
+spite of their caution they got a sudden start, for they became aware of
+a silent brook flowing deep and swiftly by, at their feet: another step
+and they would have been in it. The Twins, rather startled, looked at
+one another, and then without further thought they just jumped across.
+Jumped into an open space--into MOONLIGHT. There was actually a full
+moon overhead, but with such seams and lines about it that it bore the
+appearance of being pieced together like a geographical puzzle.
+
+"Cyril, look there!" whispered Dulcie, pressing close up to him, as soon
+as she found words.
+
+In the white light there stood an immense rock. In it there was a wooden
+door with hewn-out steps leading up to it. A nice red door it was, with
+a green knocker upon it in the shape of a mouth smiling a welcome. Of
+course they went up to it, climbed the steps, which were high and
+difficult, and stared at the neatly engraved brass plate below it,
+which bore the words:
+
+  +---------------------------------+
+  | Knock if an answer is required. |
+  |         If not, why?            |
+  +---------------------------------+
+
+"I'm going to knock," said Cyril.
+
+"Oh no, we don't want any answer," said Dulcie, "so why do it?"
+
+A backward glance at the steps puzzled her, for they had grown steeper
+than before and impossible to climb down again, or up, for the matter of
+that, and the door before which they stood was now at such a height from
+the ground as to make her feel giddy to look below. She hardly had time
+to think about it when Cyril raised the knocker and let it go. Instead
+of the usual sound a knocker makes, a loud laugh rang out, discordant
+and disconcerting. "You needn't be frightened," he remarked, for his
+little sister hung back and tightened her grasp of his arm. The next
+moment the door swung open and there stood on the threshold a very tall
+man with an enormous bald head. He was clad in a yellow satin
+dressing-gown, and wore great smoke-coloured spectacles.
+
+"So you've come to see the Wizard," he said blandly. "Pray walk in!"
+
+[Illustration: _"So you've come to see the Wizard," he said_]
+
+"I--I think we'd--we'd rather not, thank you very much," stammered
+Cyril, very red, whilst Dulcie looked up, pale and wondering. "We're not
+dressed for visiting," she urged in a loud whisper in her brother's ear.
+
+"But you require an answer, or why knock?" retorted the strange man.
+"_Pray_ walk in," he repeated. He was so polite.
+
+The door swung behind them, and the trembling twins found themselves
+alone with the Wizard in a very large cave, where the walls glowed with
+phosphorescent light, while the further end was hidden in deep gloom.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+THE WIZARD AT HOME
+
+
+"How do you do?" said the Wizard, as if he remembered he had forgotten
+to ask. The Twins shyly shook hands with him and said they were quite
+well, thank him. They didn't want to a bit, but he seemed to expect it.
+"Let's talk matters over," he added with a smile. It was such a winning
+smile that the children began to feel less uncomfortable. "You're not
+always quite content, I believe," and he rubbed his hands cheerfully
+together. "That mother of yours interferes rather too much, eh?" With a
+rapid movement he pushed his spectacles away on to the top of his bumpy
+baldness, revealing a pair of small eyes with a red, slumbering glow in
+them.
+
+As Cyril didn't reply Dulcie ventured to remark, "If you please, my
+brother thinks she says 'don't' too often."
+
+"But how do you know that?" interrupted Cyril, who, though surprised,
+took a more practical view of the situation.
+
+"Because," slowly replied the Wizard, taking off his spectacles and
+scratching his big nose with them--"because I was an optician in my
+youth and made these glasses, through which I have only to look to see
+people as they really are and not what they appear to be. ["How clever!"
+broke in Dulcie under her breath.] I found out at a glance that you are
+discontented with your lot, and prefer to be free. You are tired of
+control, eh? Isn't that the state of Home Affairs?"
+
+"Yes," said Cyril, once more full of his wrongs. "It's only children who
+are not allowed to do what they want. Grown-ups do as they like; so does
+our dog; he goes out and comes in when he likes, eats when he wants,
+leaves what he likes--or rather, what he doesn't like; so does our cat.
+You see," he continued, growing quite chummy, "we are never allowed to
+do this, that, and the other, like other people--animals, I mean--and
+they are free and happy, and they needn't bother with lessons. It's so
+stupid being a child!" he concluded plaintively, and Dulcie nodded a
+similar opinion.
+
+"Just as I thought. Well, I shouldn't put up with it if I were you,"
+replied their new friend, smiling again, and scratching his nose with
+his spectacles in his thoughtful, insinuating manner. "I should advise
+you to go your own way, seek your own fortunes, and find your own
+happiness for yourselves. We must see what we can do to help you to
+freedom. Eh?"
+
+The little guests did not think to thank him, for their eyes had begun
+to roam with curiosity over the strange things that were all about. The
+cave dwelling was queerly furnished, if it could be called furniture.
+There were animals of all sizes and shapes, standing around stuffed,
+staring, and immovable. Snakes, fish, small birds; an elephant just like
+life standing rigidly next to a number of grinning stuffed monkeys;
+while a crocodile with open jaws looked snaps at a startled fawn with
+wide-set eyes. It was like a frozen Zoological Gardens.
+
+"Once upon a time," remarked the Wizard, following the children's source
+of interest, "all those poor creatures were children like you. Ah! their
+end was sad, very sad; very sad indeed!"
+
+The Twins didn't like that remark at all, nor did they relish the
+winning smile this time that accompanied it. Then bursting out laughing
+he exclaimed--
+
+"Now I'll show you something funny," and he brought out from a corner
+what looked like a cinematograph. "Look!" he said as he touched a spring
+and set it going.
+
+There was a hissing sound, and the gloom at the end of the cave passed
+away, and there marched along in living procession all the inhabitants
+of their Noah's Ark.
+
+Dulcie and Cyril were transfixed with delight at this charming
+entertainment.
+
+[Illustration: _"All those poor creatures were children"_]
+
+"And we don't pay anything to come in!" remarked Cyril softly to his
+sister. "It can't pay him. They're all going in for safety, you see--all
+the birds, all the beasts----"
+
+"Where are the fishes?" anxiously interrupted his little sister in a
+whisper.
+
+"Don't be such a Billy," retorted Cyril with a frown; "the fishes are
+used to being drowned."
+
+After Noah went into the Ark and had shut the door, the gloom
+reappeared. The show was over.
+
+"That's a little idea of my own," remarked the Wizard as he put the
+machine away. "Amusing, isn't it?"
+
+The Twins nodded. Then he invited the children to look through a hole in
+the wall of the cave, and they saw a small room.
+
+"That's my hospitable bedroom," he said, "that I've endowed myself with.
+When I'm down in the mumps from being crouped up here so long, I go
+there and wrap myself up in thoughts all nice and smug. It is fitted
+with the epileptic light, rheumatic bells, and all the latest
+infections.
+
+"Now, what were we talking about before? Ah yes! My inventions. None of
+your modern up-to-date rubbish, only inventions of the future for me.
+None of your wireless telephony and wireless telegraphy for me. Listen
+to this." He called out--
+
+"Number A. 1. Sea Power! Have you been successful in that last little
+financial venture, Sire?"
+
+There were rushing sounds, as of waves, at the far end of the cave, and
+a muffled voice replied--
+
+"No, Cabalistic One, I have lost again. Just my luck! Dash--sh--sh--"
+which resolved itself into the swish-swish of rolling surf. Then all was
+quiet again.
+
+"The reply of a friend of mine residing far away at a place called 'The
+Billows,'" explained the Wizard in an offhand way. "I help him in his
+little transactions, which are sometimes rather--in fact very--!" and
+raising his arm he smothered a laugh in his yellow satin sleeve which
+was not pleasant to hear. "I always like to laugh up there," he
+explained, as the children looked surprised.
+
+Dulcie's hand stole into her brother's and she whispered him to "Come
+away, come away, do, quick, and let's go home."
+
+"But you haven't seen any of my marvellous jewellery yet," replied their
+host, as though she had spoken aloud.
+
+"Don't be timid"--he was looking at them through those horrid spectacles
+again, which laid bare all their thoughts. "You know I am only answering
+that knock of yours. Had you not required an answer, there would have
+been no information forthcoming. I should just like to show you these
+bracelets I have here." He pushed his glasses across his baldness and
+took two jewelled golden circlets out of a satchel which hung from the
+cord of his gown. "Other children have taken great interest in them,"
+said the Wizard slowly--"in fact have worn all the gems out. But I've
+often had them done up again; and you are both welcome to them--very
+welcome to them, if you like. You see, _they_ are able to inform their
+wearers how to play at 'Birds, Beasts, and Fishes' _properly_."
+
+"We know already," replied the boy and girl together, now restlessly
+impatient to be gone.
+
+[Illustration: _He took two jewelled circlets out of a satchel_]
+
+"I don't mean that tiresome educational game you were playing when you
+were waiting in because of those few drops of rain. I mean the _real_
+thing--to be actually the real animals themselves in the realms of the
+Birds, Beasts, and Fishes. Only in that way can children realise how
+much nicer it is to be one of them, and to live a life free from the
+'don'ts' and vexatious care of their elders. Ah! _Now_ you're
+interested!"
+
+The Twins were staring at him open-mouthed.
+
+"These bracelets," continued the Wizard, whilst the ten catseye gems in
+each of them gleamed curiously as he spoke--"see--aren't they
+beautiful--
+
+"THESE BRACELETS WILL EMPOWER THE WEARERS TO BECOME BIRD, BEAST, OR
+FISH, AT EACH WISH; TO REGAIN HIS SHAPE, OR HER SHAPE, AT WILL, AND TO
+LIVE IN ANY ATMOSPHERE--OR IN NONE! At every change of form a catseye
+will disappear and return to me. With the last wish the wonderful
+adventures will be over, and the shape last chosen will remain to the
+end of existence. All these silly animals in my dwelling came at the
+last to seek my help as they were dissatisfied. I did what I could,
+which wasn't much. Of course I don't want so many of them here," he
+added carelessly, scratching his nose with his glasses, "though they do
+help with my experiments--they do that--oh yes--but I always advise
+getting experience first. They somehow got to know that _as children
+under ten_ they could only pass _into_ my MOONLIGHT and never _out of
+it_; and that my faithful BROOK would not see them twice. So they came
+for help in their last shapes as animals. Oh!" he added, pulling himself
+up with evident pretence, "I helped them right enough! They should have
+kept a pair of catseyes--I warned them--and they might have crossed my
+BROOK in some other shape than their own and changed to themselves the
+other side. But somehow they were not fortunate enough to manage that.
+Some people are so thoughtless. Pray excuse me, my dears, there's some
+one at the knocker," and throwing the bracelets into a corner where they
+glittered strangely, the Wizard vanished.
+
+"Come away, do come away," implored Dulcie, plucking at her brother's
+sleeve. "I'm so frightened," she whimpered. "Don't touch them. Oh! I
+want to go home."
+
+"But, sis, you heard what he said. We can't cross his horrid brook twice
+whilst we are under ten. Crying won't help," replied the boy sturdily.
+Nevertheless, he looked terribly frightened himself, although he patted
+her shoulder comfortingly. "_I feel I must!_" he muttered; "besides,
+it's our only way out of here, and get out of here we must, and escape
+in some other shape."
+
+Cyril hastily picked up the bracelets, put one on his wrist and the
+other on Dulcie's, and taking her by the hand dragged her right into the
+gloomy part of the cavern farther and farther away from the hateful
+dwelling and its awful master. He couldn't tell where he was leading
+her, but he ran blindly on until at last there was daylight in the
+distance. And the Twins found themselves surrounded by haystacks,
+windmills, and other country objects.
+
+"Ah!" exclaimed Cyril with delight, "see how I've saved you, Dulcie!"
+
+"And a good job too," she replied with conviction.
+
+So they wandered gaily on, laughing at anything and everything in the
+happiness of their escape. They _were_ happy, anyhow; happy in their
+absolute freedom. And were they not in the possession, too, of the
+precious bracelets which were going to lead them into all sorts of
+delightful adventures as soon as they chose! They could talk of nothing
+else--and babbled on of how they would cross the brook as animals, and
+how they would be wiser than all the other poor creatures, by keeping a
+gem in reserve and change to themselves on the other side.
+
+Little could they guess of the troubles and adventures that awaited
+them!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+THE BIRD-FAIRY SPEAKS
+
+
+The children had been so busy chattering of fun to come, that it was all
+of a sudden they realised they were in a glade which looked quite
+enchanting, and with so many daisies about that Dulcie wanted to sit
+down and weave those they gathered into a chain.
+
+"Don't wait for that," said Cyril; "carry them in my handkerchief."
+
+But when he felt in his pockets the handkerchief was not there. He must
+have dropped it. Dulcie proposed that they should retrace their steps,
+but sweet sounds of innumerable birds came from the high trees around
+and filled the air--and they stayed to listen to the concert of trills,
+chirrups, gentle call-notes, cadences, and bursts of tremulous song. And
+now, against the deep blue sky hovered what looked like a cloud which
+suddenly separated and descended, and the Twins found themselves face to
+face with a most lovely being, surrounded by a ring of exquisite little
+creatures, who danced to the continuous music of the Wood.
+
+Cyril and Dulcie gazed at their beautiful companion, who stepped towards
+them smiling graciously. She looked like a lovely young girl. Draped
+about her was a wondrous garment of feathers of every hue. But she was
+strange indeed, for her hands, clasped behind her, drew close together
+two enormous wings which sprouted from her shoulders and formed part of
+her white arms; whilst upon her shapely head among her black tresses was
+the aigrette of the peacock. Her attendants had no aigrette, and their
+feathered draperies were of sober brown. They were much smaller too,
+smaller even than the Twins.
+
+"I am the Bird-Fairy," she said in cooing tones, "and you are in need of
+advice. I can----"
+
+[Illustration: _"I am the Bird-Fairy," she said_]
+
+"Not exactly, thanks. You _are_ pretty!" stammered Cyril, interrupting.
+"It's because--we want to go our own way--at home we--" he stopped in
+order to shake off Dulcie, who was tugging at his jacket.
+
+"If you please," asked Dulcie shyly, "what advice?"
+
+"It would be exactly contrary to the Wizard's," and the Fairy looked
+serious.
+
+"Thanks very much," interrupted Cyril; "but we do want to seek our
+fortunes--to go on our adventures. It's a grand thing to do," he
+explained, "specially for her--she's a girl. Besides, we can't cross the
+Brook as children."
+
+"Don't use those catseyes and it might be possible; that is, if you are
+willing. Be warned! Let me carry you quickly to the other side and then
+run home," said the Bird-Fairy anxiously.
+
+Cyril shook his head, so Dulcie shook hers.
+
+"It's always 'don't,'" he muttered. "It's sure to be all right, Dulcie,"
+he said turning to her.
+
+"Are you sure?" she inquired vaguely, with a lingering glance at the
+Fairy, who had turned away sadly.
+
+"It must be if we keep that last change as we arranged."
+
+From the trees now issued forth sweet wood-birds of many kinds--the air
+was thick with them; they circled three times round the fairy ring and
+then all flew away, and the children were once more alone.
+
+"Wasn't that beautiful? Ah!" sighed Dulcie, looking after them, "I wish
+I could be one of them and sing like them."
+
+Hardly were the words out of her mouth when Cyril began to stare about
+in amazement. His sister was nowhere to be seen. Her disappearance was
+so rapid that the earth might have swallowed her up.
+
+"Dulcie, Dulcie," he cried. "Wherever are you? Come back at once when I
+tell you!"
+
+Nothing stirred in the stillness except the waving branches of the tall
+trees--and a little bird that came and perched upon his shoulder and
+began softly to trill into his ear what meant nothing to him. He stroked
+its smooth plumage. His hand touched something hard around its throat.
+He parted the feathers and found--a golden circlet set with catseyes,
+one of which was missing.
+
+"Oh!" he exclaimed. "It's her!"
+
+He was too flustered to talk grammar. "How fearfully quick the change
+came about--only just a slight hint like that! I say! We _shall_ have
+to look out! I wonder how you like it, you pretty little bird! I wish I
+could understand those chirping sounds!"
+
+Instantly he became like her--a lark. He understood her at once, and the
+pair flew away, singing gaily as they rose together, fluttering up and
+up, soaring high and ever higher into the blue azure of the cloudless
+sky.
+
+Never was there such a blissful sensation as that, flying heavenwards to
+the music of their own making. Dancing at a party to the accompaniment
+of a piano was mere ordinary child's play compared to the invigorating
+delight of this new experience. The earth looked like a map, and they
+realised now what was meant by a "bird's-eye view." After a time, still
+singing, they dropped quickly down to earth. Then Cyril led the way into
+the Wood, where they perched in one of the highest trees; and they
+hopped about, scanning their surroundings, and awaiting the visits of
+other little feathered inhabitants whose acquaintance they expected to
+make. In the meantime they gleaned various scraps of news from certain
+twitterings in the adjoining branches, some of which they clearly
+overheard.
+
+And it came as a shock that these twitterings were mostly complaints
+about the scarcity of provisions; about starvation among the weak birds
+who could not compete against the strong; about the unfair scrambling
+for tit-bits which caused grievous bodily hurt. Then a painful rumour
+was discussed about poor little Mother Starling, who had been taken
+unawares by a wild beast with terrible whiskers who was seen to pounce
+upon her and carry her off--and her husband, who still went about vainly
+calling his mate and would not be comforted. They heard how, in the
+hospitals under the hedges, things were in a bad way--how one patient
+was down with a broken wing, with no hope of getting well in time to
+migrate; and of others incurable, and resigned.
+
+All this so depressed the two joyous young larks that they flew some
+distance away, when through the leaves they discovered in the tree next
+to them nothing less than the beautiful Bird-Fairy reclining asleep in
+the branches with her retinue of little sprites in various attitudes all
+around her, their shining eyes wide open, on guard.
+
+The absolute silence proved too monotonous for our lively pair. So away
+they flew again--miles and miles away into the open country, enjoying to
+the fullest freedom found at last, feeding in the sun-gilded fields,
+drinking from the pools, bathing in the sandy roads, and flying for all
+they were worth in their youthful spirits. Life like this was life
+indeed!
+
+Their happiness seemed complete, when a sudden sense of horror struck
+them both at the same moment, and hardly had they realised it when they
+noticed something very large which had been poised above swooping
+towards them, striking terror into their souls as it came. It was a
+sparrow-hawk, and death was upon them. Instinctively they swerved out of
+its terrible course, and commenced a series of short, zig-zag flights,
+their eyes starting nearly out of their little heads with fright. The
+enemy was strong on the wing and remorseless in purpose. The poor larks,
+with hearts fluttering wildly, were becoming feeble and less alert. The
+next second the hawk would seize one of its prey. The little bird gave
+an agonised chirp, dropped like a stone to the ground, and changed into
+Dulcie, affrighted and panting for breath. She looked anxiously upwards.
+Her pursuer, baulked, turned and darted upon its second quarry. Too
+late! Cyril had taken the strong hint, had also Wished, and now stood in
+safety on the ground beside her.
+
+"Come on!" he shouted to the surprised and baffled enemy. "Come on now,
+and I'll wring your ugly neck!"
+
+But the bird didn't wait to accept his polite invitation; and a moment
+later it was out of sight, and out of mind, and the children found they
+were again alone in the beautiful glade.
+
+"I don't want to be a bird any more," said Dulcie when she had recovered
+her composure.
+
+"No, it's too risky," admitted her brother. "When that big dark thing
+came in sight there was so little time to think what to do. That second,
+too," he added with a shudder, "when I thought the brute had got you,
+was too awful!"
+
+She felt quite important now at having gone through such peril.
+
+"I could never have imagined that birds had such a lot to put up with,"
+mused Cyril as they walked on--"hunger and suffering, with the risk any
+moment of being gobbled up!"
+
+"There ought to be some one to take care of the poor things," remarked
+Dulcie. "If it hadn't been for the catseyes we should have been eaten up
+and ended like that." She glanced at the bracelet on her wrist and
+added, with a timid look at her brother, "It seems safer as we are."
+
+"Bosh!" he rejoined. "We want adventures. That's what we're going
+for--and freedom. We had a ripping time as larks--till the end. It
+certainly wasn't very comfortable then."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+THE LOST CATSEYE
+
+
+Something was in their path; the Twins stooped to examine it and found
+it to be a Hedgehog standing on its hind legs, motionless, as though
+waiting for somebody, and a smile was upon the face of that Hedgehog.
+All at once a Porcupine sprung up beside it, as if out of the earth, and
+the two appeared on the very best of terms.
+
+"I _must_ get to know what they are talking about," exclaimed Dulcie.
+"They seem to me to be arguing about something interesting. Oh, I do
+wish I could be all ears and understand them! If only I were something
+as small as a mole!" Before Cyril could remonstrate a mole she was, went
+off blindly, and was quickly lost to view amongst the thick brushwood.
+
+"I say! I do call that _mean_," he complained. "Without even so much as
+asking my advice or saying good-bye. It's silly to become a stupid mole;
+it's a waste of a catseye. And all on account of a beastly spikey
+hedgehog and a beastly prickly porcupine. Halloa! Wherever have you all
+got to?"
+
+Out of humour, he looked right and left. They were nowhere to be seen.
+"I hope she will soon come to her senses!" he muttered. "It isn't much
+fun being left like this."
+
+He lay down on his back to await her, and kicked up his legs in the air
+as a pastime, whilst the tall trees above him waved their upper branches
+in the breeze. His glittering bracelet caught his attention, causing his
+thoughts to drift on adventures past and to come. He looked harder at
+it, and becoming concerned he carefully counted the missing catseyes. He
+had only wished to be a lark, and to be himself. Yet THREE were gone!
+The two first--and the _last_ one! "Could this," he asked himself, "be
+some dreadful trick of the Wizard's--likely to occur at the last?" Cyril
+turned pale at the possibility. "Or could that last one have become
+loose and got lost?" he pondered. If so, he realised that it must be
+found. The thought about the Wizard worried him. He was uneasy, too,
+about Dulcie, and sat up eagerly listening for her coming, and wondering
+what he had better do.
+
+Meanwhile, our little mole had groped its way to a hole whence could be
+heard sounds of a quaint voice. It was that of the Porcupine saying
+pretty poetry softly to the accompaniment of a slow musical titter.
+
+    "I'm a brave and dashing Porcupine--
+          Strong, elegant, and dandy;
+     And you a Hedgehog, bright as wine,
+          And sweet as sugar-candy.
+     Dear Hedgehog fair, say you'll be mine
+     And wed the dandy Porcupine!
+          Dear Hedgehog--bright as currant-wine,
+          Take me--as strong as brandy,
+     Be Mrs. Porcupine, I pray--
+     I've begged so often--don't say nay--
+          Be Mrs. Porky, sweet and jolly.
+              Nay--titter not,
+              Or off I'll trot
+          And straightway marry Molly."
+
+"Ah!" he observed after a long pause, during which the Hedgehog had
+remained silent and had never moved a quill in response, "There goes
+Molly the Mole!"
+
+Molly the Mole, who had distracted his attention, heeded him not, but
+went and struck up an acquaintance with the little stranger in the hole
+close by. For some time they remained in close conversation. It was not
+at all an amusing conversation, as Dulcie explained later, and she was
+not sorry when the danger of a horse's hoofs galloping nearly on top of
+them caused them to run off. They got separated, and Dulcie was glad to
+bring herself again into the possession of her own five senses. Peeping
+from behind a tree, she saw Molly and the Hedgehog walking off together,
+leaving the Porcupine disconsolate. And then she beheld a young girl
+with short red hair dismount from her horse, walk back rapidly towards
+some glittering object, and pick it up.
+
+Dulcie recognised at once the curious colouring of a catseye. She
+glanced at the bracelet on her wrist; all was in order there. Could it
+possibly belong to Cyril? The thought became a certainty. "Stop!" she
+called out loudly.
+
+Too late--horse and rider were off.
+
+"Stop! Stop thief!" shouted Dulcie as she ran after them as fast as she
+could.
+
+Now Cyril, who was not the soul of patience at any time, had come to the
+conclusion that it was of no use waiting any longer, and that it would
+be better to be up and doing. So he got up and pondered again and again
+what to do.
+
+"Any way I'd better risk it and become a cat," he decided, "for like
+that I've more chance of finding Dulcie, and of finding my catseye. It
+would be useful to be able to see in dark corners. But I'll search about
+as I am first."
+
+He spent some time peering and searching in the Wood. But without
+success. Neither Dulcie nor the catseye was to be found.
+
+Just then he heard a noise. He stepped behind a tree, and peering round
+from behind it he beheld not far off a young lady dismount from her
+horse and pick up something. Cyril recognised it as his catseye. He
+approached timidly to claim it, when she leapt up and cantered off,
+evidently not seeing or hearing the boy who was running, shouting with
+lusty lungs: "Stop! Hi! Stop thief!"
+
+Little did he know that his little sister, almost exhausted, was further
+behind gasping out the same cry--while big tears from helplessness and
+anxiety were coursing down her hot cheeks. For the trees hid the
+children from view at the distance they were apart, as well as from the
+rider; and shout as they would, their cries could not be heard by one
+another.
+
+Cyril soon lost sight of the new owner of the gem, and didn't know what
+to do, or where to trace it, or, still worse, what had become of Dulcie.
+As he came to a narrow footpath which branched off from the main track,
+he went quickly along it in the hope that it might prove to be a short
+cut to somewhere. As it turned out he was lucky, for it proved to be a
+short cut to a Town, and hardly had he entered one of the streets than
+at the other end he saw entering it the rider on her horse. He ran
+towards her, but only arrived just as the girl with red hair disappeared
+through the door of a large white house, and the horse was being ridden
+off by her groom.
+
+So Cyril sauntered on, anxiously meditating how to get his belonging
+back. The present possessor would never believe his tale, or if she did
+the less likely would she be to part with a thing so valuable--and then
+perhaps only for a hundred pounds. He concluded he must take it--it was
+his--at least it was more his than hers, and his life might depend upon
+it. So he decided that the best thing he could do was to change into a
+monkey, climb into the house by one of the open windows, grab the gem as
+soon as found, and escape as quickly as he could.
+
+But no sooner did the quaint little monkey stand there than it was
+pounced upon by a dirty brown hand, whilst a foreign voice exclaimed--
+
+"Ah, ha! So dere you are, my leetle friend! You shall not escape from me
+again so soon, Jacko. Ah no!"
+
+It was a ragged boy with a hurdy-gurdy, who had caught hold of the
+little twisting, mouthing creature and was already getting it into a
+miniature soldier's coat with brass buttons. A ludicrous doll's hat with
+a long feather upstanding was quickly produced from his pocket, put on
+its head, and the elastic slipped under its chin. A long cord was
+whipped out, fixed to the red coat, and a sudden jerk hitched up the
+whole arrangement on to the barrel-organ in a twinkling.
+
+Now Dulcie had also taken the short cut into the Town, and was just
+going to enter a large garden in order to rest her weary limbs after her
+useless chase, when the boy and monkey attracted her attention and she
+stopped. She would have laughed, so comic was the sight, but filled with
+concern at a rough jerk she cried: "Oh, please don't. You'll hurt it. Do
+let it go!"
+
+"Let go, signorina? Ah no! Me take care never risk no more. No Jacko,
+then poor Pietro starve. Just you watch him, then give poor Pietro
+penny. Now, Jacko, we're 'ungry."
+
+Had Dulcie only known the monkey was not Jacko, but Cyril, she would
+have been still more concerned. The lad turned the handle of the
+instrument, and to its cracked tune she was amused to see the monkey
+take off its hat with a jerky movement, replace it, dance about, salute,
+and perform other antics in the most approved and undignified manner.
+
+The boy pulled his forelock. After much fumbling Dulcie found a penny
+and gave it to him. A sunny smile was on his swarthy face as he said
+"Grazia!" He kissed the monkey affectionately, and putting it in the
+inner pocket of his ragged coat, moved away.
+
+And the monkey, peering out of that pocket, blinked twice so meaningly
+at Dulcie that she stood there and gazed after it, puzzled, whilst the
+boy trudged off whistling. Dulcie then found a shady seat, and having
+nothing better or more hopeful to do, determined to rest there. Now,
+however, that she had leisure to think it over, she didn't at all like
+the loss of that gem. Supposing by some trick or other of that horrid
+Wizard all the rest should drop out and not be found--at some dreadfully
+awkward moment! What would poor Cyril do? And she also might come to be
+in the same plight! These thoughts were too horrible! So she began
+saying some poetry she had learnt in order to keep her mind on other
+matters.
+
+She wasn't enjoying herself very much. The time seemed endless, and a
+neighbouring clock which chimed the quarters didn't help it to pass any
+faster; and the longer Dulcie waited, the more anxious she became. She
+gave up reciting poetry, or what stood for poetry, and her only thought
+became: "If only Cyril would come back!" In her fear she began to give
+up hope of his ever coming back at all, and decided to try and discover
+if there were such a thing as a policeman about, to whom she might
+confide her troubles.
+
+Suddenly there arose a hullabaloo. Such a barking and rushing, and the
+next moment a large black cat sprang on the seat beside her,
+frightening her very much. There was a terrified shriek--a gratified
+Wish--and Cyril found himself on a bench next Dulcie with a great hound
+clinging to his sailor collar at the back.
+
+With a cry of fear she helped him in his struggles to get free; the
+animal, astonished and abashed, slunk away with its tail between its
+legs, and the brother and sister fell into one another's arms. Never
+before had they known how fond they were of one another--for never had
+they been so pleased to meet again.
+
+"I waited so patiently," said Dulcie; she didn't add anything about
+thoughts of a friendly policeman, but inquired quickly--
+
+"Do you know you've lost your catseye?"
+
+He nodded and grinned.
+
+"Have you got it?"
+
+He parted his lips. It was between his teeth. He pressed it back into
+the empty setting of his bracelet, saying--
+
+"I'd no time to wish sooner. I'll never set Towser to chase our poor
+little Miranda again, you bet! How horrid it must be to be a permanent
+cat!"
+
+"However did you get it back?"
+
+"Hallo! Hi!" was all she got in answer, and the next moment he was
+pommelling into, and being pommelled by, a lanky youth.
+
+"I'll teach you--to shy stones--at a--poor defenceless--cat," gasped
+Cyril, hitting out right and left, his face scarlet, and his hair all
+ruffled. How they did go for one another! First one was down and the
+other on top; then the pair, all legs and arms, were the other way up;
+then they rolled together over and over, till at last Cyril had won a
+brilliant victory before he allowed Dulcie to drag him away from the
+defeated adversary, who, as soon as he was free, slunk off miserably,
+with one hand to his eye and his handkerchief to his nose.
+
+"I'm all right," exclaimed Cyril, in answer to her anxious inquiry,
+shaking himself into order. "That _was_ a lark! No--I'm not hurt, not
+really. Served him jolly!"
+
+Dulcie noticed that he had a lump on his forehead from the fray.
+
+"I'm glad you won the fight with that boy, but I don't know what it was
+about one little bit. And, Cyril, aren't these adventures rather
+too--too dangerous, don't you think?"
+
+"Of course they're not, they're awfully jolly."
+
+"Now tell me all about it from the very beginning," said his sister as
+they strolled off together. So Cyril gave her a spirited record of his
+adventures whilst she listened eagerly, anxious not to miss a single
+word.
+
+"I'll begin at the beginning," he said. "Well, the funny monkey--me, you
+know----"
+
+"_You_, Cyril?" and Dulcie gasped with surprise.
+
+"Yes; don't interrupt, there's a dear. I quite enjoyed my little
+performance on the organ before you. But by the second and third time I
+had to do it I got sick and tired of it. The weather seemed to turn cold
+and made me shiver. Then I got fearfully hungry--coppers were given me,
+but no food did I get, and I felt I had had enough of the business. The
+boy's pocket, too, was draughty--there was a hole in it--besides which I
+got the cramp. It wouldn't have been much use trying to escape. Besides,
+the monkey idea was all wrong, for people were passing all the time,
+and, had they noticed a free monkey on the track of a catseye, a crowd
+would have collected, and perhaps that grinning idiot might have gone
+for me again. I couldn't very well change to myself inside of his
+jacket, nor during a performance in public, as it might have attracted
+attention. So I was obliged to wait for my chance, which came at last
+when he picked up an end of a cigarette and after begging a match was
+busy lighting it at a sheltered corner. I was on the pavement in a
+minute, managed to slip out of my idiotic red coat to which the cord was
+attached, flung off that absurd hat, and remembering my first idea I
+changed into a cat, calmly sat down on the inner side of some area
+railings, and peered through to watch the fun."
+
+"Yes, and what happened then?" interrupted Dulcie excitedly.
+
+"Well, you never saw such a face as that boy's when he found the
+monkey's coat and hat on the ground without any monkey inside of them!
+He said some foreign words and commenced running about hunting for me
+everywhere, whilst I trotted off before his very eyes. Ha, ha, ha!"
+
+His sister pealed with laughter and delight.
+
+"As quickly as possible I reached the big house where I had seen the
+girl with the red hair go in after she had picked up my catseye."
+
+"I saw her pick it up, too," broke in Dulcie.
+
+But Cyril went on: "The windows were still open. I jumped up from the
+balcony on to a stone ledge, and then by good luck right into the
+bedroom of that bothersome young lady. She was reading a book. We did
+startle one another!
+
+"'Oh, you darling sweet pussikins!' she said. 'Ah,' I thought, 'not so
+darling as all that.' And the next moment I was lifted clumsily on to
+her lap and stroked and patted, whilst I looked anxiously around for my
+catseye in the intervals--when she wasn't kissing my nose, which was
+disturbing and uncomfortable, and girls do like kissing so. Then I saw
+it gleaming on the dressing-table close to the window all the time, and
+I became impatient. The stupid baby language and kisses bothered me, so
+I stopped it by giving her face an ugly scratch."
+
+"Oh, how rude!" exclaimed Dulcie, shocked.
+
+"Whereupon she gave me an angry slap, which I didn't feel a bit through
+the fur, and pushed me down roughly on the floor, looked at her face in
+the glass, and then I heard her bathing it in the dressing-room. I say!
+had I changed then, wouldn't she have been jolly surprised to find a
+strange boy in there! So, remaining her darling pussikins," he continued
+with a smile, "I just jumped on the table, took hold of my catseye in my
+mouth, and escaped by the window before she returned, and waved my tail
+in good-bye--stupid things, tails!" With a laugh, which was echoed by
+Dulcie, Cyril, grown serious again, went on with his narrative:
+
+"But just as I alighted on the ground a boy began shying stones at me,
+which it was awfully difficult to dodge. One of them caught me such a
+whack on the side, and he laughed and shouted 'Hurrah, got him!'--Wasn't
+I glad when I saw him just now!--Well, I was just going to change then,
+when there was a great barking, and a whole lot of dogs seemed to be
+bearing down on me. I thought I'd make myself scarce, so I tore off,
+and as they were on my track I simply cut. I flew along the muddy
+streets with the whole pack at my heels, with shouts and laughter
+ringing in my ears, scampering past them, past houses, past traffic,
+whizzing along for my life with the barking din and the pattering feet
+always following. At last, as a last hope, I dodged round, doubled back,
+the noise stopped, and I took refuge in a quiet garden, awfully puffed,
+and jumped on a seat next some one resting there."
+
+"Me," said Dulcie, with a sigh of relief.
+
+"Yes, I found it was you, Sis. I Wished, and you're a trump, for I was
+tired, and you rid me of that big dog." Dulcie glowed with pride and
+pleasure at that. "I never knew, though, that that brute was following
+me. Fortunately for me he gripped hold of the bracelet round my neck."
+
+"How well you tell a story, Cyril," she said simply.
+
+Cyril smiled contentedly. "That's nothing."
+
+Then she inquired anxiously: "Do you think it was the Wizard's trick,
+that losing of the stone?"
+
+"P'raps," replied Cyril musingly. "He's quite ugly enough for anything.
+But I don't think so," he added reassuringly; "it must have been an
+accident--got loose, or something."
+
+Dulcie's mind being eased, she then told her own story as a mole. She
+couldn't remember the Porcupine's verses exactly, but she repeated what
+she could, and they had a good laugh over them;--before, she had been
+blind to the fun in them. "I repeated them to Molly," continued Dulcie,
+rippling over with fun, "and she was so offended she vowed she'd never
+marry him. So I cured him of his vanity--and serve him right!"
+
+"But why did the Hedgehog titter? That was what you wanted to find out,
+wasn't it?" asked Cyril.
+
+"I suppose it was expecting the Porcupine's verses."
+
+"Suppose?"
+
+"I forgot to ask."
+
+Cyril expressed his opinion that she had been a softy, that those
+creatures weren't worth while chumming up with, and they couldn't have
+much sense, and it didn't matter, after all, what they thought or did.
+
+"I shan't tell you any more, then," replied Dulcie, offended.
+
+"Yes, do," begged Cyril, curious to know the end. So after he had begged
+three times, she gave way, and informed him she was glad never to have
+been born a mole, for Molly was in terribly low spirits and had
+apologised for them, but the reason was because all her family's skins
+had been taken off their backs in order to keep fashionable ladies from
+taking cold--as these ladies seemed to think that it was a prettier and
+warmer skin than their own. And Molly hourly expected each moment to be
+her last--and advised her new-found friend to prepare for the same
+fate--which was all very terrifying. "So I made haste to wish to be my
+own self again," concluded Dulcie.
+
+Cyril made her promise faithfully never again to run off like a mole or
+anything else, which--being only too anxious to avoid another
+separation--she willingly did.
+
+"The poor animals," she remarked earnestly, "all seem so helpless.
+There's no one ever to take their part or help them."
+
+"Ah, you think that because we've not yet changed into something really
+great," answered Cyril with conviction.
+
+"What a gloomy looking place we've come to! I was so interested
+listening and talking, I didn't notice the way we've come," broke in his
+sister, gazing at what appeared like a Jungle in front of them.
+"Surprising how we got here, isn't it?"
+
+"I never noticed either, but it'll do beautifully," replied the boy,
+quite satisfied.
+
+"But it doesn't seem very nice to be a Beast," argued Dulcie
+reflectively, her thoughts harking back; "somehow it's so unpeaceful."
+
+"I tell you that's because we haven't tried anything great," repeated
+her brother with an emphatic movement of his hand and a decided toss of
+his head. "_If_," he said, and hesitated--"_if_ we were lions" (he
+waited, then finding they were both as they were he went on, reassured),
+"then we would know what it is to rule everybody, keep our friends in
+order, and eat up our enemies."
+
+"But I don't want to eat up any one," protested Dulcie. "I think it
+would be very disagreeable."
+
+"I should think it must taste rather nice--_they_ like it. Besides, one
+never knows till one tries," remarked her brother. "I want to be a
+_lion_!!"
+
+At once the King of Beasts confronted Dulcie. With a shriek she tore
+away as fast as her small feet could scamper. Then she changed her mind.
+And as a lioness, full of courage, she rejoined him.
+
+Grand beasts they were as they bounded into the Jungle with a mighty
+roar. Startled creatures hurried out of their path, and the very
+landscape appeared insignificant in their presence. Monarchs of all they
+surveyed! This at last was splendid freedom.
+
+At a river, sparkling like glass in the burning sun, they stopped and
+slaked their thirst, lapping up the water greedily. Then they turned
+again into the tangle of vegetation and laid themselves down to rest.
+
+Purring with delight in the hot sunshine, they lazily lashed their
+tails. The lion was just dozing when he was roused by something heavy
+and strong winding itself in great coils around his limbs and body. He
+gave forth a roar half of anger, half of fear. Struggle as he would he
+could not free himself; it was a huge boa-constrictor that was closing
+about him like bands of iron, and was just about to crush him to death
+when the lion disappeared and a little boy in a blue serge suit wriggled
+away, sobbing out: "Oh, Mother! Dulcie!"
+
+Just then Cyril's eye caught sight of a rifle pointed from a
+neighbouring tree. To his horror it was aimed straight at the recumbent,
+lazily-blinking lioness. His heart stood still with terror. He could
+neither scream nor stir. Quite forgotten was the huge reptile, which had
+jerked back its head in astonishment at the remarkable disappearance of
+its quarry, with an undulating movement of surprise in that part of its
+anatomy which might be termed its neck. But now the creature was quite
+close to the lad and rearing itself up to strike at him when--crack!
+crack! crack! Bullets were whizzing all around. Cyril, bewildered,
+stumbled over the dead body of the reptile and fell to the ground. The
+next moment he felt Dulcie's hair over his face as she pulled him on to
+his feet.
+
+"Great snakes!" exclaimed Lord Algy. Captain Waring, who was eagerly
+peering through the branches of another tree close by, laughed as he
+rejoined, "Only one, my friend."
+
+"Eh, what? Well I'm--" drawled his lordship, craning his neck and
+letting his eyeglass drop and dangle--he had stopped short in his
+sentence, not seeming quite to realise what he was. "By Jove!" he now
+added, "I certainly thought I hit one of those two fine brutes; most
+remarkable thing I ever saw in my life."
+
+"_Didn't_ see, you mean, my dear Algy," replied the Captain coolly and
+not without vexation. "_I've_ seen a dead serpent before. Where have
+they moved to? that's the question: we shall have to track them again. A
+dead snake in the grass is not worth two fine lions in the Jungle."
+
+"No, my dear fellow, I don't think so either--I agree with you
+there--it's quite the contrary, of course," remarked his lordship with a
+certain amount of energy.
+
+Meanwhile, Dulcie and Cyril, with white, scared faces, were fleeing hand
+in hand like pixies among the trees.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+IN THE FISH-KING'S REALM
+
+
+It was only when they reached a meadow full of wild flowers, and the
+Twins, worn out with their long run, lay down to rest, that Dulcie
+remarked with a sigh of relief--
+
+"We never do seem to be so safe as when we are us!"
+
+"We won't be Birds nor Beasts any more," replied Cyril. "Hark! What's
+that snoring so loud?"
+
+"It's not snoring. I believe it's the waves!" Saying which Dulcie jumped
+up and Cyril did the same. The children found the meadow they were in
+was on a cliff, and that below were far-reaching sands, and in the
+distance heaved the glorious deep blue sea.
+
+They clapped their hands and danced with delight, and when that
+performance was over they carefully descended the steps cut in the face
+of the cliff which led down to the shore.
+
+Very soon their shoes and stockings were slung round their necks, and
+they were running over the hot sand to where the wavelets came rippling
+to meet their little feet.
+
+So immersed were they in paddling that it was a little time before they
+noticed some one sitting amongst the rocks which peeped out of the
+surface of the ocean a short distance away. A hand was beckoning to
+them, and thinking it might be some one who wanted help, Cyril declared
+he would go to the rescue, and began to wade towards the spot.
+
+Dulcie, fearful of his going alone, and not wishing to be left behind in
+the adventure, hurried next to him. The current was rather strong and
+the water got deeper as they went; but they didn't think of their
+clothes (which were no longer wholly dry), but only of the rescue. When
+they reached the rocks they found to their surprise a very quaint figure
+calmly seated there, who motioned them in a very grand manner to a place
+on each side of him. "Pray be seated. Good morning!"
+
+"Good morning!" exclaimed the visitors politely, taking the places
+indicated.
+
+"Good afternoon!" said the Fish-King. "Do you mind holding my crown one
+moment, my dear?"
+
+Dulcie took it with awe. He was a very fine gentleman indeed, and the
+two children couldn't help staring at him as he smoothed his hair in
+silence. He was short and stout, in a costume not unlike that of
+Harlequin in the pantomime, only the colouring was green and blue. His
+goggle green eyes and wide, down-drawn mouth made him look comically
+like a carp, whilst the pointed wisp of white beard on his chin and the
+four long white hairs he was winding round his bald head were not really
+an improvement to his appearance.
+
+"Thank you kindly, my dear," he said as he took his crown and put it on.
+It was beautifully made, entirely of the loveliest small shells, and
+when he wore it he looked every inch just what he happened to be.
+
+In spite of his queer face, the two visitors felt quite at ease with
+him, and were sure that with such a pleasant voice, too, he must be very
+nice indeed.
+
+"What are you King of?" inquired Dulcie with a friendly smile.
+
+"Of the fish," he answered, patting her cheek. "I'm right glad to see
+you."
+
+Suddenly remembering, the little couple at once donned their shoes and
+stockings as a sign of respect.
+
+"It's very healthy, I suppose," remarked Dulcie, "living out at sea like
+this?"
+
+"I suppose so, my lady," answered the Fish-King drily. Dulcie liked
+being called "my lady." "Except," he continued thoughtfully, "for an
+occasional attack of shingles I don't ail much." Then turning to Cyril
+he asked: "How's that old rascal of a Wizard? laughing in his
+dressing-gown, eh?"
+
+"I'm sorry I don't know, your Majesty," replied the boy, surprised at
+the question and the way it was put.
+
+"You will soon get to know me. I only hope you may not be disappointed.
+You certainly wouldn't have been disappointed with my ancestor."
+
+"Who's your ancestor?" asked Dulcie bluntly. "Was he a King-fisher too?"
+
+"Not at all. He was Neptune."
+
+"Where did he live?"
+
+"In Imagination."
+
+"Where's that?"
+
+Cyril raised his eyebrows at her lack of manners.
+
+"You turn to the right," answered his Majesty patiently, with a gesture
+that way, "follow your nose, mount a hill north of the Fore Head, and
+there you are. See?"
+
+The Twins couldn't think what answer to make--though he seemed to expect
+one--so they gave a little nervous laugh.
+
+"Just see, there's a dear boy," said the Fish-King kindly, in order to
+change the subject--"just see if you've got a copy of the _Financial
+Market_ about you, will you? Or maybe you know what the Financial Time
+is? That would do quite as well. Oh, beg pardon--I see you've no watch
+on; pawnbroken, eh?"
+
+"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean; I've never heard of all that,"
+admitted Cyril.
+
+"But you _have_ heard there's been another slump!"
+
+"What?" ventured Dulcie.
+
+"In what? Why, in Seaweed, of course. Just my luck. Fishy transactions
+never do pay, though they always promise to. But," he added, rousing
+himself, dismal still, "you must both come down soon and have a cup of
+sea or something--it's my birthday, and there's going to be jinks
+below."
+
+"Birthday! How delightful!" said Dulcie.
+
+"Why, how old can you possibly be?" asked Cyril, "if it's not impolite
+to ask."
+
+"Quite right. Let me see," said the Fish-King thoughtfully. "Ah, now I
+remember. I'm just several millions of years--it takes a little time to
+fix the number exactly--and eleven days."
+
+"That _is_ old, Sire," murmured Dulcie as she regained her breath, which
+had been taken away at the idea of so many birthdays.
+
+"Old? Nonsense, my lady."
+
+"How can it be 'and eleven days' if it's your birthday, your Worship?"
+asked Cyril, thinking he'd go one better than Sire.
+
+"Because, my Philosopher, I prefer the new-fangled Calendar which puts
+one on eleven days; in that way, when I'm told I don't look my age, I
+know it's true, and not flattery. See?"
+
+The children were not quite satisfied with the explanation.
+Nevertheless, they were pleased to find it the most natural thing in the
+world to be getting chummy with a Fish-King.
+
+"Now, do come below waves and have a cup of sea or something," he
+repeated, looking appealingly first at one and then at the other.
+
+"Thank you very much," replied his little guests. "But," said the
+cautious Dulcie, "sha'n't we be drownded?"
+
+"You both have your catseyes on, I presume?" And his Majesty stared
+anxiously in their faces. "Yes, I see you have. Very well, then. Sit
+steady! Halloa there," shouting downwards. "Lift, please!" Then
+muttering, "It's high time we went," he smiled. His smile was so
+unutterably comic that it was to a merry burst of childish laughter that
+all the rocks descended as quickly as the tide rose above them, and the
+trio, smiling still, found themselves gently deposited at the bottom of
+the Ocean.
+
+"Wonderful thing water pressure!" remarked the Fish-King. Then, helping
+them off the rocks, he added with a gracious wave of the hand, "Welcome
+to my Domain!" And the Twins bowed so prettily that he appeared much
+gratified.
+
+"Ah!" he said, taking them by the hand and stopping still, "I see Fido.
+Fido, Fido!" At his call a fine dog-fish came forward at a fast swim;
+and its head was patted graciously, whilst its tail wagged with
+contentment. "Now," resumed his Majesty, "we'll go to the Revels;" and
+they proceeded at a smart walk as buoyantly through the clear water as
+through air.
+
+The sea-scape was perfectly beautiful, but as the Fish-King once more
+seemed deep in melancholy, the Twins gazed silently around. They were
+evidently walking along the King's Road, for it was wide enough to walk
+three abreast; the sand was so fine and glittering that it looked like
+gold dust; the path was bordered by exquisite shells. On either side
+were gardens of variegated anemones. Here and there an old sodden boot
+lay about untidily, at which the Fish-King frowned and looked uneasy.
+They passed oyster beds, where, besides oysters, all sorts of fish,
+large and small, were fast asleep, breathing heavily with their mouths
+wide open. Now and again a squadron of lobsters or jelly-fish would
+confront them, and respectfully divide and wait until the royal
+procession of three had passed through.
+
+At last they came to a great object ahead which turned out to be a
+sunken ship, and the children heard the Fish-King say: "Welcome, my
+dears, to my home! I hope your visit to 'The Billows' will please you."
+They eagerly assured him it would, for they felt certain they were going
+to have a jolly time.
+
+On board everything was most snug and trim; and in the large saloon he
+led his two little guests to one end of the long table, where they found
+biscuits, tinned meats, jam, and other nice things, which they enjoyed
+very much, whilst their host looked on with a satisfied expression.
+
+"_Now_ will you take a cup of something?" he asked--and seemed relieved
+when they declined with thanks. "I'm a seatotaller myself," he observed;
+"I don't drink like a fish, nor go in for cups."
+
+"I'm glad we said 'No, thank you,'" whispered Dulcie to Cyril, who
+nodded assent. "Why are you so sad, Mr. Fish-King?" she asked when she
+had satisfied her hunger, and she stroked his great flabby hand.
+
+He didn't answer for a moment, then trying to twist up his mouth into a
+smile he said as he roused himself: "I fear I'm somewhat glum for a
+birthday party, but I've had so many of them; besides, I'm bothered
+about the slump! One would think Seaweed safe enough for a vested
+interest, surely. From all accounts, they must have been cooked--softly,
+too, in the bargain! Can you make it out, my dears?"
+
+[Illustration: _Its head was patted graciously_]
+
+The Twins couldn't understand it at all, and shook their heads quite
+emphatically over the matter.
+
+"Now, let's go abaft," suggested his Majesty. He rose, and looked at
+them with a ray of cheerfulness. "We'll watch the Water Sports. I revel
+in them when they are good--usually they go bad."
+
+The children readily agreed. "It's lucky you happened to come on my
+birthday," he continued, "for you may be amused. Here's a list of the
+different Courses," and he took up a Menu from the table: "they'll race
+through them like old boots!"
+
+"Do they race better than new ones?" inquired Cyril.
+
+"They've more experience," replied his Majesty. "What is about to
+begin," he said quite gaily as they followed him up the gangway,
+"is--let me see; ah yes--'Turtle Mocked.' Now just look at Fido"--he
+leaned over the side, the Twins did likewise. "He's turning turtle!" And
+the three watched with approval the antics of the dog-fish as he turned
+his somersaults; and they applauded this first item on the programme.
+
+"Next Innings!" shouted his Majesty. "Fish balls bowled," he read from
+the Menu. And taking their plaice, a game of cricket began. "They think
+they can play," he whispered, "and that is the way I humour them, or
+they might begin to cry, and I hate anything that reminds me of blubber.
+But how can any one in their senses imagine plaice fielding at slip?
+Why, they don't know cricket from a bat--nor never will at this rate, I
+should think."
+
+"Once in London, we saw such a lot of fish in the big shops there,"
+volunteered Dulcie in a burst of confidence. The next moment she wished
+she hadn't spoken, for Cyril was frowning at her and shaking his head.
+She glanced timidly at the Fish-King. He evidently didn't mind, for he
+merely remarked with a sigh: "Ah dear! One of these days my poor
+subjects will be sucked from the sea through a 2d. tube, straight to
+Billingsgate--I suppose that'll be the time for slumps and no mistake!"
+
+"I suppress the Sole and Eel Course!" he cried suddenly. There was a
+great stir in the water at this intimation. "It's a dance," he muttered.
+"Let's get on with the Cod Stakes." He put down the Menu and threw
+overboard some nets and fishing tackle. Then began a highly amusing
+exhibition by old fish showing the young ones how to nibble the bait
+without taking the hook, and if taken by some mischance, how to get
+unhooked--how to avoid the nets, and other life-saving dodges which his
+Majesty explained to the astonished Twins.
+
+But hardly had he finished when a fat young gurnet who was taking part
+in the sports did get hooked, and clumsily extricating himself went off
+leaving a thin red track behind him.
+
+"The poor thing is hurt!" exclaimed Dulcie.
+
+"Oh no," said the King; "a herring-bone stitch is all that's necessary."
+
+"I know how to do that," replied Dulcie, "but I thought it was only used
+to make dress things look pretty; I never heard of it for mending fish."
+The excitement continued unabated.
+
+When the revels were over, the little strangers expressed their
+enjoyment of the birthday party, and thought perhaps they ought to be
+saying good-bye. Their kind host wouldn't hear of their going yet--they
+hadn't even seen the Cable which he was just going to visit.
+
+"Who's won the prizes?" asked Cyril as they got off the ship.
+
+"I have," replied his Majesty.
+
+"Not the winners of the races and of the sports?" said the boy, in
+amazement.
+
+"They can't expect to win the races and win the prizes too. _I_ have won
+the prizes."
+
+"What have you won, your Worship?"
+
+"I forget," he answered vaguely. "I've won so many in all these years,
+and they get so mis-laid--for all the world like addled eggs!"
+
+"But you've only just--" commenced Cyril.
+
+"Don't tease," said Dulcie, pulling at her brother's sleeve. And so the
+matter dropped.
+
+Whilst Cyril and the Fish-King were talking about the price the crown
+might fetch were he obliged to part with it on account of his recent
+financial losses, Dulcie was so busy admiring the beautiful creatures
+swimming about, that she stumbled and fell before her companions could
+warn her that the Cable was lying in her path. She was soon up, and it
+was the Fish-King now who was lying prone on the ground, but his
+attitude was intentional; he was listening intently. At a sign from him
+they did likewise. The billows overhead were lashing up the spray, and
+through the rushing sound could be vaguely heard: "Number A. 1. Sea
+Power! Has that nice little venture proved successful, Sire?"
+
+It was the Wizard's voice. The Twins stared at one another with startled
+eyes.
+
+"No, thou Cabalistic One," shouted the Fish-King, and got up with an
+impatient sigh, so he didn't hear what sounded like the echo of mocking
+laughter which the children recognised before they rejoined him. "Some
+one's at the bottom of that business, I'll be bound," he grumbled. "I'm
+afraid I'm too green, and ye gods and little fishes alone know how I
+manage to be, for I've a fit of the blues often enough," and he glanced
+at the garment he wore. "Now come and inspect my Workhouse." He led them
+away in silence to a small lugger, also wrecked, commandeered by his
+Majesty.
+
+"What a lot of residences you have, Sire," remarked Dulcie timidly,
+realising the situation.
+
+"One must, if one is a royalty," he replied. "I have even more than the
+German Emperor. I've one for eating in. One for thinking in. One for not
+thinking in. And a host of others. There is one which takes me eighteen
+hours to reach, where I go at cradle time, where the waves hush me to
+sleep with their lullaby--you have heard it--'Rocked in the Cradle of
+the Deep,' eh?"
+
+"Yes, yes," assented the Twins readily.
+
+His glum face slightly relaxed, then he continued: "It's always a matter
+of interest to me when my ship comes home. I don't whistle for it; I
+squall for it. Look out for squalls, for I feel restless, and in my
+family carping is our form of humour."
+
+Once inside the cabin of the lugger the Fish-King took an immense ruler,
+and sitting upon the table in front of a high heap of foolscap began
+ruling one wave after another. Absorbed in his occupation, his mouth
+tightly drawn down, he looked more than ever like a carp. He kept on
+ruling the waves, heeding neither the little coughs, the little
+fidgetings, or the little hints, entreaties, regrets, or excuses of the
+Twins, until, exasperated at his sudden and unaccountable oblivion to
+their existence, they murmured broken words of thanks for his past
+kindness, and, not a little indignant, they walked out of the cabin,
+jumped over the side of the ship, and swam upwards. They met many a
+quaint creature, and then diving below they rested in a quiet spot again
+amongst beautiful shells--at last in peaceful calmness at the bottom of
+the sea, alone with the heaving waves palpitating far above them.
+
+Talking over the strange conduct of the Fish-King, it occurred to Cyril
+that the fact of parting from them risked reminding him of blubber,
+which he hated, as he had told them before, so he must have preferred
+ignoring them altogether, especially as he had work to do. But Dulcie
+thought perhaps they might see him again when he was not so busy.
+
+"It must be rather jolly being a crowned head," mused Cyril; "I vote we
+have a shy at another catseye, so as to have a gorgeous crown and boss
+everything and everybody."
+
+Dulcie, dazzled at such a magnificent prospect, readily agreed.
+
+"I wish I were a crowned head!" exclaimed Cyril excitedly.
+
+"I wish I were a crowned head!" repeated Dulcie with fervour.
+
+[Illustration: _They met many a quaint creature_]
+
+They stared at one another. No change had come. Dulcie was the first to
+understand their failure.
+
+"Of course not," she remarked. "How stupid of us! It's a Bird, Beast, or
+Fish we have to choose, not a crowned head!"
+
+So her brother, to change the subject, drew her attention to an eel that
+was trying to turn head over ... wriggling in a very upside down
+fashion. Tired of watching it, they lay chest downwards, and, supporting
+themselves on their elbows, kicked up their own heels.
+
+"Do you believe there is such a thing as a Sea-serpent, little Sis?"
+inquired Cyril lazily.
+
+"I believe there are sometimes, when they are in season."
+
+"Well, I can tell you there are _not_. And the only season they _are_ in
+is the Silly Season. Father says so."
+
+"It's so lovely down here, and you're spoiling it all, Cyril, by
+arguing. I do think it would be nice," she added, glancing round, "to be
+an oyster and have a real pearl! I wished I possessed a real pearl!"
+
+"Shut up," cried Cyril. But to his annoyance he found his sister already
+gone, and a stupid-looking, closed-up oyster in her place, out of which
+he could not get a glimmer of satisfaction.
+
+"You _have_ shut up and no mistake!" he said severely, "in the middle of
+a conversation too." However, she was soon at his side again, and looked
+very sorry.
+
+"Well, what was it like?" was his laconic welcome, accompanied by a
+glance of disapproval.
+
+"Not at all nice. I didn't want to remain--although I possessed a
+magnificent pearl. I felt so horribly ill--as though I had some dreadful
+disease. What a life pearl-oysters must have if they feel like that!"
+
+"I've heard pearls _is_ a disease."
+
+"Then how horrid of you to let me have it. You ought to have told me."
+
+"How could I? You were in such a hurry. I couldn't do anything. You were
+just the same over that wretched mole. I do wish you wouldn't go off
+like that again; you know you promised you wouldn't."
+
+"I forgot. But it's the Wishes that go off so quick."
+
+"I say! Where was your bracelet, Dulcie, when you were an oyster?"
+
+"Don't know," she answered, pondering. "I s'pose it must have melted. Oh
+yes, of course I remember--it had grown very small, and formed a sort of
+little boundary all round me inside my shell; it's here all right now. I
+can't think--let me see, what were we talking about before I went away?
+There was something I was going to tell you. What _were_ we talking
+about, Cyril?"
+
+"Sea-serpents."
+
+"Oh yes. Well, I was going to tell you, there must be Sea-serpents, 'cos
+you remember it being in the papers and our seeing a picture of one."
+
+"But that was all stuff and nonsense."
+
+"No it wasn't."
+
+"Well, look here, we'll soon find out, little Duffer. I wish I were a
+Sea-serpent!"
+
+"I'm not a Duffer, after all," was Dulcie's first thought as Cyril
+vanished into what looked like the end of a wriggling tail--a tail so
+long that it stretched right out of view, and she realised this must be
+part of her own brother. It was slowly moving away.
+
+"Don't go and leave me," she cried appealingly, clutching hold of the
+great scaly thing. But it moved quicker, dragging her along. So, in her
+anxiety she clambered on top of it, sat down, and found to her surprise
+that its undulating movement of progress formed a regular switchback,
+and that she was travelling along its back towards its head in a most
+pleasant and delightful manner.
+
+"What a funny thing to happen!" And she laughed. "But whatever will
+occur when I get to the end! And what yards and yards of him there seem
+to be!"
+
+All this she wondered and heaps more, till at last she saw the
+creature's huge neck looming high up in front of her; when she got there
+it stopped her progress. It turned its head round--which resembled that
+of a giraffe--and its mild eyes looked kindly at her; and what was most
+comic, yet comforting, it wore a nose-ring of gold set with catseyes.
+
+[Illustration: _What a glorious ride that was!_]
+
+She patted its neck affectionately; and then with a mighty glide of long
+duration the huge creature took her up, up, until, with her still on its
+back, gracefully reclining against its neck, the Sea-serpent arose with
+her above the surface of the Ocean.
+
+Certainly, no one now would have taken them for twins.
+
+What a glorious ride that was! Nothing around but the wild surging
+spray, the wind blowing in her face, brightening her cheeks, and tossing
+her fair hair about. Above, the clouds, dark and heavy, tore
+along--everywhere movement, reckless, turbulent movement.
+
+What a wild ride it was!
+
+Far, far in the distance appeared a dark speck. As it came nearer it
+turned out to be a ship with broken mast, broken by the waves which
+leaped over its deck again and again. People were on it, for shouts came
+from it borne along on the wind.
+
+A fearful squall arose as from the very bosom of the Ocean. Lightning
+played around the doomed ship. Half blinded by it, and bewildered by the
+deafening noise of thunder, Dulcie just caught a glimpse of the
+Fish-King in the water near, before burying her face in her hands to
+escape the blinding glare of the second flash. Starting suddenly at the
+terrifying clap of thunder that followed, she lost her balance and fell
+off the Sea-serpent's back headlong into the surging waters. For some
+time she was tossed about, sometimes swimming, sometimes floating,
+enjoying the excitement of the thing, knowing she couldn't drown, and
+expecting every moment to see something of her huge brother, when all of
+a sudden she found herself right in the middle of a shoal of fish.
+
+She was startled to find, too, that like them, she had been caught in a
+large net from which, swim and search as she would, she could find no
+means of escape. Restlessly with her fellow-captives she turned this way
+and that in vain hope of freedom. She knew she must be adding to the
+salt water around, for she felt so miserably helpless and lonely, and a
+heavy sob now and again escaped her. Here indeed was a lack of freedom
+and no mistake, for the poor fish as well as for herself! Never, never
+again, she said to herself, would she beg for fish for tea if this was
+what they had to endure. Round and round inside the net she swam,
+backwards, forwards, upwards, downwards--no outlet was there. If only
+she could find the way she got in! The thread was so hard and strong,
+too, that she could do nothing, tear at it with her little hands as she
+would. She had nothing sharp about her either, not even a pin.
+
+The sea became calmer by degrees, but Dulcie's anxiety grew, and her
+impatience with it, till the sound of men's voices from above raised
+her excitement to fever pitch.
+
+"Oh dear, oh dear! It must be the fisher people!" And the thought that
+the little swimming creatures darting about in terrified jerks would
+soon be motionless for ever, helped to increase her distress.
+
+"Hold hard, Bill. Ain't it heavy!" said a gruff voice.
+
+"My missus won't be sorry," answered his mate.
+
+The net was actually being hauled up, and Dulcie, beating against it
+with her arms and struggling hard, was being hauled up with it.
+
+Her sleeve had got rucked up--the catseyes glistened.
+
+"I wish--oh what? I can't think--to be something very small indeed--oh
+quick!"
+
+No change occurred. She could now see the boat and the men's stooping
+figures.
+
+"Oh please, I want to change--I want to be one of--no, I forgot, they
+can't get out either--I wish I were a--a----"
+
+"Holy St. Patrick!"
+
+"Bless me, what's that?" exclaimed both men, glancing down at her.
+
+"--A periwinkle!" gasped Dulcie faintly.
+
+The next second the little girl disappeared from their view and the
+fishermen rubbed their eyes and stared at one another with their mouths
+open. The big fishes and little were quick to seize that golden
+opportunity of their captors' careless handling of the net--and escaped,
+down to every jack sprat of them. And with the gentle murmur of the sea
+there mingled noisy and ugly words of baffled hope and disappointment.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+THE MYSTERY OF THE CRAB
+
+
+At the base of that Cliff where the wild flowers grew, the golden sands
+were still bathed in hot sunshine, and roughly caressed by the incoming
+waves. Upon the crest of one of these a Periwinkle was borne, and
+tossed, and flung, until it was landed high and wet on a soft bed of
+seaweed. But not for long--for very soon a little girl arose from that
+bed of seaweed, smoothed back her clinging hair, and cried out with joy
+as she recognised her surroundings. It was Dulcie, glad to be herself
+once more, and on the same beautiful sands again; and her first thought
+was of course for Cyril.
+
+She was dripping wet. To wipe her face she took out her handkerchief,
+which of course was wet also. In order to dry it she tied it to a piece
+of stick; thus it could serve as a flag, too, which she could wave to
+attract Cyril if he were about that coast, and show him where she was.
+
+Remembering that, according to some wiseheads, sea water kindly gives no
+chills, she had no fear for herself; so she lay down upon a patch of
+nice warm pebbles, of which she took a handful, and began idly throwing
+them one by one into the tide, which was running up to her feet faster
+than it retreated at the ebbing of the waves.
+
+She was beginning to tire of this pastime when--plash! the last stone
+she threw fell plump into a sandy pool, out of which there hurried an
+enormous Crab. Dulcie was frightened, for the ugly creature had espied
+his disturber and was coming towards her at a quick amble, sideways. She
+turned and fled towards the Cliff, and a turn of the head showed her
+that her dreadful pursuer was not far behind. Up the arduous steps she
+climbed, stumbling every now and again in her hurry and
+excitement--those steps down which she had tripped so gaily with her
+brother. Again she turned to look behind her, this time with a feeling
+that here she must be safe.
+
+But the great Crab was coming up the steps too. Flushed and gasping, she
+arrived at last on top of the Cliff amongst the wild flowers once more.
+
+There, too, over the top appeared the terrifying creature. It was
+seemingly quite fresh, and was gaining rapidly upon her, for now she was
+quite tired out.
+
+She could run no more. So poor Dulcie turned, and facing her pursuer,
+she cried--
+
+"Oh, please, please go away--oh _do, please_!"
+
+But the ugly Crab never lessened its pace one bit; it came nearer and
+nearer--so close that she could notice how it was shaking all over; and
+how repulsive--till--till she saw that it was wearing something
+glittering around its body--a band of gold with one last catseye and the
+others all gone. It _must_ be Cyril. Why didn't he change? Dulcie
+couldn't imagine. The creature stopped motionless, and tears were
+dropping from its ugly eyes.
+
+"What can be wrong?" cried Dulcie with a sob of horror and fear. But she
+conquered her fear now that she was persuaded it was Cyril, and she
+approached still closer. She stroked it--actually stroked it--and
+although it was just a great horrid Crab the expression it wore was
+heart-rending.
+
+"It's the Wizard's trick!" she exclaimed suddenly. "Poor Cyril's last
+catseye won't work!" She never thought how many _she_ still had, for she
+was weeping bitterly over her brother in this dreadful guise, and she
+could hardly wonder what the end would be, if this indeed were not the
+horrible end of all.
+
+"Oh, Cyril," she sobbed, addressing it. "Oh, Cyril, how dreadfully
+changed you are! Whoever heard of having a crab for one's brother If
+only we had remained Twins all this never could have happened!" And she
+walked round and round it, wringing her hands in despair. But evidently
+the poor quaking thing was powerless to give a shred of comfort, and its
+whole appearance was helpless and hopeless in the extreme.
+
+"It's no use stopping here like this," she decided at last; "we'd better
+go on," and not quite thinking what she was doing, she whistled to it,
+as she whistled to Towzer, and they moved slowly forward--Dulcie,
+red-eyed and dejected, and the Crab following her at a side-way amble.
+
+The strange pair had not proceeded far when Dulcie musingly muttered--
+
+"I wish I were a crab too, then of course I should know all that has
+happened!"
+
+Strange to relate, she didn't turn into a crab, but remained a little
+girl as usual. She might have sought the reason of this had not a sight
+arrested her attention which caused her to run forward with a cry of
+joy. It was the sudden appearance of the Bird-Fairy, in whose
+outstretched hand there glistened a jewel--a catseye; but how different
+was its gleam to the one the poor Crab wore. "Take it," she said
+hurriedly in her pretty soft voice--"and listen: I have wrested it from
+the Wizard, whose magnetic power succeeded in recovering one unused,
+though he had tried for several."
+
+[Illustration: _She stroked it--actually stroked it_]
+
+"Why did he do it?" interrupted Dulcie innocently.
+
+"Because he wanted to confuse me, and also to add one more to his
+dreadful Zoological Collection. Now replace the stone quickly and give
+me the sham one--for it belongs to the red-haired young lady, and is
+stolen property."
+
+The child busily and anxiously obeyed her directions.
+
+"Stolen property?" repeated Dulcie in surprise.
+
+But the Bird-Fairy had flown away and disappeared. The Crab had
+disappeared too. Cyril stood before her, white and trembling, and the
+next second his little sister was safe and snug in his arms.
+
+For some time the Twins sat silent, huddled close together on the
+variegated carpet of clover, and cowslips, and poppies, and bluebells.
+
+"That _was_ awful!" exclaimed Dulcie at last. Cyril shivered.
+
+"You saw the Bird-Fairy; did you hear what she said?"
+
+"Yes, I understood what she said--I s'pose I understood 'cos she's a
+Fairy."
+
+"Well, what do you think of it, Cyril?"
+
+"I dunno; floors me completely. All I know is that I shouldn't like to
+go through that scare again."
+
+"It was very kind of her, wasn't it?"
+
+The boy nodded thoughtfully and answered--
+
+"Yes, and I wonder why she did it!"
+
+Now Dulcie thought of it, he looked quite dry. She felt his knees,
+according to her custom, after his being out in the rain--he certainly
+was quite dry. She said how surprised she was that he should be so.
+
+"How did you manage it after being in the pool?" she asked.
+
+"It must be running in the sun," he explained.
+
+It had done the same for her, and her serge frock was none the worse for
+the sea water. By degrees they cheered up. They were so happy to be
+together again on that lovely Cliff, with the sea beyond sparkling so
+cheerfully in the bright light as though it wanted to share in their
+renewed gaiety.
+
+"Cyril," said Dulcie, "I'm longing to hear what happened to you when we
+were parted so suddenly in the Ocean during that awful storm."
+
+"All right," replied Cyril promptly. "When I looked round and found you
+were not on my serpentine back, I didn't know where I was when you went
+overboard, and therefore didn't know a bit where to search for you. I
+changed into a crab so as to move about in a small space and more easily
+for the purpose. I dodged the nets which were about--I had learned the
+lesson we saw given during those sports----"
+
+"I wish I had paid more attention," sighed Dulcie.
+
+"And was washed ashore," continued her brother, not heeding the
+interruption, "right into that pool where stones came whizzing around;
+it was rather beastly. I'm getting used to have stones shied at me, but
+that last one was the best aimed, and caught me a good crack on the back
+of my shell and nearly startled me out of it; it quite startled me out
+of the water. At the same moment I caught a glimpse of your handkerchief
+with the blue border, and of you racing off full pelt. I wished to
+change to myself--nothing happened. I couldn't make it out. I wished
+till I was red all over. Still nothing--nothing. Then I had an awful
+feeling that it was hopeless and I was in the Wizard's power."
+
+"Poor Cyril!"
+
+"Then I tore after you, shaking with fright as much as you were. I
+thought you were too frightened to look at me; and that you'd never do
+so and never recognise me."
+
+"But I did!"
+
+"And you saved me, dear little Sis!" Cyril had grown quite pink in the
+face, and was trying to keep back unmanly tears.
+
+"Did you, too, see the Fish-King during the storm?" she interrupted, to
+change the subject.
+
+"Yes. But he didn't get that ship he was after, for I stuck my huge self
+between him and it, and switchbacked myself when he clung to me, like
+one of those bucking horses, so he had no chance."
+
+"Did he recognise you, do you think?"
+
+"How could he? I didn't look much like the Philosopher he knew."
+
+"How about that ship?"
+
+"I was glad to see it right itself and drift away; the cries stopped,
+and the passengers pointed in my direction so excitedly."
+
+"Perhaps they were grateful," suggested his sister.
+
+"Or perhaps they thought it was I who had caused them to toss."
+
+"But our host--it was scarcely fair to him."
+
+"He didn't seem to mind. He simply dived down and disappeared."
+
+"Now, those people," said Dulcie, "if you saw them, they must have seen
+you, and therefore"--with a wise look--"therefore they are sure to put
+you in the newspapers."
+
+"What a lark!"
+
+"And people who read about it are sure not to believe there was seen a
+real live Sea-serpent, and wearing a nose-ring, too! And then I s'pose
+they'll all be duffers, eh, Cyril? And it'll be called the Silly
+Season!"
+
+Dulcie laughed, and Cyril laughed too, but something out at sea just
+then caught his eye. He jumped up excitedly and began waving his arms
+about frantically.
+
+"Look! look!" he shouted.
+
+Dulcie, kneeling by his side and shading her eyes with her hand, saw
+that old clump of rocks again, and upon them stood his Majesty the
+Fish-King waving his crown at them. The tide rose higher and higher. He
+made three low bows in their direction--Dulcie fluttered her
+handkerchief and curtsied, Cyril bowed his best--the Fish-King made a
+final gesture of farewell, the Twins kissed their hands; his Majesty put
+his crown firmly on his head with a smack, and disappeared with the
+rocks beneath the surging spray. And they felt they would never see him
+more.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+THE MAGIC BRACELETS
+
+
+"How nice it is to be one's very own self again!" observed Dulcie
+contentedly. "I don't think I told you, Cyril, that a star-fish stared
+so rudely at me and said something about 'a Winking, Blinking, silly
+Periwinkle,' which upset me very much at the time, but now it does seem
+absurd," and she laughed. Then she told of her escape from the net, and
+Cyril got very excited at her imprisonment within it, remarking it was a
+jolly good thing _her_ last catseye had proved all right or she would
+have remained a Periwinkle for ever.
+
+"Oh, Cyril!" she exclaimed, catching her breath, "I never thought of
+that--was it my last? That idea never came to me in the net; I never
+thought at the time to see how many were left. Why! Wherever is my
+bracelet!"
+
+"I say! Where's mine?" cried Cyril.
+
+THE MAGIC BRACELETS WERE GONE.
+
+The children looked at one another, aghast.
+
+"I remember now," she exclaimed in awe-struck tones, "wishing to be a
+crab so as to keep you company, and know the mystery, and I was too
+miserable to think about the real Wishes--and never noticed or thought
+about not having changed--and oh! if _I_ had happened to have one
+catseye only, _I_ should have changed into a horrid crab and remained
+one for really ever and ever!"
+
+"Oh, bother. What's the good of going on like that, Sis?" said her
+brother impatiently, for her voice verged very near a whimper. "Much
+better smile and thank your stars you're only a girl. Now what shall we
+do? You suggest something, Dulcie."
+
+"Go home," was her prompt reply, wistfully and not without anxiety.
+
+"Yes, but it's all very well to say 'Go home'; the only way back must be
+the way we came, and you know what that means; even if we can find it."
+
+From Dulcie's looks she evidently didn't relish the prospect. The very
+idea of the Wizard made her tremble.
+
+"I must say," continued her brother, "I don't know how we're going to
+manage it. We can't, so _he_ said, cross the Brook--and you could see he
+meant it. So it's impossible, unless we roam about till we grow older,
+and then we shouldn't know the exact date when we leave off being
+children under ten."
+
+"We shouldn't know the date at all," said Dulcie disconsolately; "we
+don't even know what time it is now."
+
+"It feels like tea-time," remarked Cyril.
+
+"Oh no, the sun's too hot for that."
+
+"Let's go through our changes and see if we can make it all out," said
+Cyril; "that's the first thing to do."
+
+They went carefully through their various experiences from the
+beginning.
+
+"I counted there were ten in each bracelet, so we ought each to have
+five catseyes left, instead of none and no bracelets at all!" he
+concluded miserably. And they were both full of trouble. But soon,
+Dulcie exclaimed--
+
+"Why, we _are_ Billies! We must count five more for getting back each
+time into our own shapes."
+
+Of course, there had been the mistake, and the fact being brought to
+light proved a great relief.
+
+"Still," said Cyril, "we ought to have been more careful, and saved two
+for the end; then we could have crossed the Brook as animals or
+something and taken our own shapes again on the other side, as we'd made
+up our minds to do."
+
+"Ah, but perhaps we shouldn't have had the power on the other side,"
+remarked his sister.
+
+That was a new view of the case. The children were perplexed.
+
+"Anyway, we're in a nice fix," replied Cyril.
+
+Then they decided it was no use stopping there, especially as Cyril
+said he wanted his tea badly--so the only thing was to find their way
+back, and try and dodge the Wizard if they could. They wandered off, not
+particularly hopeful, and very nervous. Cyril thought he should know the
+way once they found the Bird-Fairy's glade. Dulcie took his arm, and
+they walked on in silence, which she broke at last.
+
+"I wish some one would come and take care of us!"
+
+"I wish some one would bring me my tea!" said her brother.
+
+"I wish some one would come and tell us what to do!" sighed Dulcie, who
+had begun to find out that it was of no use relying absolutely on Cyril
+any more. "If only we were at home!"
+
+"I'll try to take you there, so cheer up, do," answered the boy
+sturdily.
+
+The sea breezes were gone. The Twins had reached the Jungle. To give
+themselves courage he whistled "Rule Britannia" and she hummed it, but
+held his arm very tight, and every now and then looked furtively around.
+There was no sight or sound of anything living. Nevertheless, they
+hurried on, until they broke into a smart run, and ran, and ran.... They
+halted abruptly. Cyril hadn't the slightest idea whereabouts they were,
+or which direction to take. It was no use asking Dulcie if she
+remembered; she only shook her head disconsolately. When they fled from
+the Jungle before, they had been far too scared to notice anything at
+all in the way of landmarks.
+
+"We've got to get out of this and reach the Town," observed the boy
+thoughtfully; "and then we've got to get to the back of the cave."
+
+"But, Cyril, you've forgotten that after the Town comes the Wood, and
+then that horrid place."
+
+"So I have. Well, it's quite impossible, that's all--out and out
+impossible." His face was growing very red.
+
+"Don't you remember, Cyril, my saying how gloomy this place looked when
+we entered it the first time? Well, it looks gloomy enough here for
+anything, so it may turn out all right, and after all, we may be near to
+where we entered. Come along--it really does seem brighter over there.
+The Town may be quite close."
+
+It certainly was brighter beyond. But no streets were there. Instead, to
+their bewilderment, the little travellers found themselves already in
+the daisy glade once more. They were positively in the beautiful Wood
+again. The first object that caught their eye was something white. It
+was Cyril's lost handkerchief which Dulcie picked up--it was a brand new
+one--and tucked it in his pocket at once.
+
+"I say, isn't it curious how I've brought you back so easily?" remarked
+her brother.
+
+"It must be some short cut you found--by accident," replied his sister
+decisively. And that settled that. In the absolute silence which had
+reigned around, a peculiar rustling now attracted their attention.
+Dulcie hung back, and Cyril held her hand as he advanced cautiously.
+They came to a sudden standstill as, from a clump of trees, a tall
+figure in a yellow satin gown emerged and confronted them.
+
+"Pray walk in!" said the Wizard, and taking the boy and girl by a hand
+he led them--not through the Wood and along the country road--but
+somehow straight through the back entrance into his Cave Dwelling.
+
+"I'm so pleased to see you again," remarked their host, smiling as he
+took off his spectacles and scratched his nose with them. "I see you've
+not found freedom yet! Ha, ha! Pray make yourselves quite at home."
+
+Out of his satchel he drew forth the two bracelets in which were no
+catseyes.
+
+"Used them quite all, I see!" he remarked blandly. "These others, poor
+things, thought they could change back the other side of my domain!" And
+the Wizard laughed most unpleasantly loud--just like his knocker.
+
+"Please, sir," ventured Dulcie coaxingly after his hilarity was
+over--"please, sir, do let us go home."
+
+"But your brother--I'm sure he wouldn't be satisfied."
+
+"Indeed I would," said Cyril.
+
+"Tush! Nonsense!" exclaimed the Wizard. "_I_ never say 'Don't' here--so
+you are going to live with me and be oh so happy and free! free to do
+everything I tell you. You would have been more useful as a Crab. But
+now you shall _both_ tend my little Zoological Collection--they are not
+always so still, oh no! You shall help me do my tricks. You shall help
+me ruin that fishy old King; and help me keep that Bird-Fairy in order
+till she shall rue the day that she ever tried to----"
+
+The Twins heard no more. Locked in one another's arms they had suddenly
+sunk down in placid slumber. The astonished Wizard stopped in his flow
+of eloquence. He walked round and round them. His face grew blacker and
+blacker, whilst the Twins slept calmly on, Dulcie's head resting
+peacefully on Cyril's shoulder.
+
+"Well I'm blessed!" muttered the Wizard, "or should be if I weren't
+so...."
+
+[Illustration: _Taking the boy and girl by a hand, he led them_]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+THE SPELL--AND HOW IT WORKED
+
+
+The poor children felt as though they had come under some gentle
+influence, and curiously enough, though outwardly asleep, they were
+conscious of the Wizard walking around them, pushing and pinching them,
+which somehow they never felt; and they were conscious, too, that he was
+troubled about something. What it was they couldn't imagine. He began to
+mutter threats coupled with the name of the Bird-Fairy.
+
+The Wizard was clearly not at all happy. Indeed, he was profoundly
+concerned--for every time he touched the children to wake them, a
+sensation of cold spread over his hands which became rapidly more and
+more acute until it felt like touching fire, and he shrank back
+muttering and grumbling.
+
+At that moment there was a great rush of air. The Bird-Fairy appeared,
+and with outspread wings she stood over the resting children, and, full
+of pity, she gazed down at them. Then they knew they were in her care,
+and they knew, too, that _they knew something which might prove useful
+and precious_. And they smiled happily as they lay there.
+
+"What do you want here?" demanded the Wizard harshly. "How dare you come
+here and try to thwart me?"
+
+"I have come to pray you to turn from your evil ways. Let these poor
+children go," begged the Bird-Fairy in tones sweet and pleading. "They
+have realised how much their happy home means to them and the safety
+there is in being taken care of. Let them go back to it."
+
+"Tush! Nonsense! What's all that to me? Begone while I let you! I'm in
+no mood to be trifled with."
+
+"Show kindness and mercy for once," was her reply.
+
+"What? Go! You remain to mock me? Remember my little Zoological
+Collection. Which of us triumphed throughout?"
+
+"Don't boast of that."
+
+"But there is much to boast about. And my experiments have not stood
+still since that remote period. Science has progressed!"
+
+"You will not be merciful?"
+
+A scornful laugh was all the reply he vouchsafed.
+
+"Then know," she continued solemnly, "that our Fairy Enchantments have
+also strengthened with time."
+
+"Is it to be another tussle between us?" inquired the Wizard, smiling.
+
+"It is. And I pray it may be for the last time. I have failed before.
+But this time I am going to succeed. With the girl my difficulty was not
+so great, but the boy has been hard to convince that other creatures
+have troubles greater than his. Others have returned to you through your
+craft, but this little couple you were forced to go and meet. You sought
+to entrap the boy as a Crab--it was I who restored the gem and saved
+him, as you may have guessed. And with that success the Bird-Fairy's
+hour now has come! You have failed to snare them as Bird, Beast, or
+Fish--your science can change mortals to nothing else. And now you shall
+fail to turn them to slaves."
+
+Again the Wizard's discordant laughter was heard, and he said--
+
+"You certainly got hold of that gem, my dear--and you evidently consider
+yourself in consequence an apt pupil of that old Fairy who befriended
+you--worse luck to her! had she but passed a moment later there would
+have been no time to frustrate me. My science would have been powerful
+enough to change you into a mere Bird. My Collection would have been the
+more valuable, and she could not have made you into a Fairy besides; nor
+would you have known enchanting arts with power to torment me; nor would
+you have had any hope of future freedom."
+
+The Wizard paused a moment, then rasped out--
+
+"Were it not for your own salvation perhaps you wouldn't be so ready to
+help the children, and to dare attempt to triumph over me. But we shall
+see what progress we have both made!"
+
+"We shall see!" she repeated. "Touch these dear children if you can. You
+find it difficult? You do not understand it, eh?"
+
+The Wizard, with a groan of pain, had leapt back after another attempt.
+
+"I soon shall understand it," he cried angrily, taking up a bottle
+containing a green fluid, a few drops of which he poured into his
+palms, then smiled. "This will wake them quickly enough, and probably
+never let them sleep again."
+
+But the only result was a louder cry of pain from him and a peaceful
+snore from them.
+
+The Bird-Fairy looked steadily at him, and the Wizard trembled with
+anger and fear. Recovering himself he muttered: "You've got them well
+under your wing. So it must be with you I have to deal first. Ah, ha!
+I'll show you how Science can outdo your paltry old-fashioned arts!"
+
+Thereupon he took a curious box-shaped mechanism, pointed it at the
+Bird-Fairy, pressed a spring, and instantly the pretty trio became
+enveloped in a halo of rainbow. The next moment the wings of the
+Bird-Fairy drooped, and the children awoke. Her Spell was broken!
+
+He moved his terrible invention slightly, so that she alone was
+encircled by the rainbow ray. She stood there motionless like a
+beautiful statue; and the Bird-Fairy was in the Wizard's power!
+
+[Illustration: _The wizard, with a groan of pain, had leapt back_]
+
+A few moments more and his triumph would be supreme and everlasting. She
+would exist no more. His evil heart thumped with excitement and glee.
+
+A continuous and regular movement around the cave, and an underground
+heaving and low, distant rumbling arrested the Wizard's attention. He
+gasped and started, and the instrument he held fell from his grasp and
+shivered to atoms.
+
+The Twins were the cause. It was they who had started the commotion.
+Unobserved by the Wizard in his moment of exultation, freed by him from
+the Bird-Fairy's Spell, they were free to follow the irresistible
+inclination they felt when they were under it. So they gently stroked
+each of the animals around, and were charmed to find that as they did so
+each poor creature changed to girl or boy and vanished from its prison,
+whilst the ground trembled and the rumbling became louder and louder, as
+though some unseen power was helping in the rescue. So quickly did they
+run round on their task that at the moment when the Wizard realised his
+mishap, just as he thought he had triumphed, Dulcie and Cyril had done
+their work. They started as they saw the Wizard lying full length on the
+ground next to his shattered invention, the rays of which were let loose
+and playing like lightning all round him.
+
+Then they remained rooted to the spot with amazement, for just beyond
+was the Bird-Fairy, who before their astonished gaze became suddenly
+bereft of her wings and covering of feathers, and now stood before them
+as a lovely Princess, in draperies of silver tissue, and with a golden
+circlet upon her dark hair. A happy smile was on her face, as with a
+farewell gesture she motioned the children away.
+
+[Illustration: _Lying full length on the ground next to his shattered
+invention_]
+
+There was a terrific noise as of a thunder-clap. They looked back.
+Nothing but a dark cloud was there!
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Come quick!" cried Dulcie, taking Cyril's hand and running off with
+him; "there's no shelter here. Let's get in before the rain."
+
+And away they sped from the rocks on which they had so often played,
+reached home, ran indoors, and got upstairs just before the big drops
+turned into a heavy downpour and came pattering against the nursery
+window-pane.
+
+"Are you children ready?" called up their mother in her kind, cheery
+voice. "Come down and have tea with me for a treat."
+
+It was a welcome invitation. They were quick to shout their thanks and
+to make themselves tidy. When they entered the parlour, where the sun
+was peeping in again after his absence, their mother said quietly--
+
+"I'm glad you've escaped the storm."
+
+Later on, they all three sat in the gathering twilight at the large
+bow-window watching Nature going to sleep. The two children sat up very
+late that night--and they told their mother such an extraordinary story
+that she wondered how ever it could have got into their heads; and
+wondered where they could have read it. But they knew they hadn't read
+it.
+
+"Look at the bump on Cyril's forehead!" exclaimed Dulcie, as conclusive
+evidence of the fight. But their mother only shook her head. Cyril often
+wore such marks of battle.
+
+"And, little Mother, we _are_ so glad to be at home." She laughed. But
+they meant it.
+
+
+
+
+THE OLD-FANGLED FATHER AND HIS NEW-FANGLED SONS
+
+
+Centuries ago, an old father--as old as one of them--lay on his couch
+feeling that his end was near. He was not surprised; in fact, he had
+foreseen it as he had foreseen many other events. And he was reputed
+wise beyond his years, and therefore far beyond those of the people who
+reputed it.
+
+So he called softly to him his three sons. They didn't hear him, being
+busy in different parts of the house; and it never occurred to him to
+ring the bell, because he was so old-fangled. He shouted to them, and
+they came.
+
+"I have three things to say to you," remarked the father solemnly.
+
+The sons fidgeted visibly; they had been studying, were not at home to
+any one, and particularly had not wished to be disturbed in their work.
+They thought that their father was going to begin another anecdote, and
+it put them out of humour; but they were startled when he said--
+
+"My sons, my end is near."
+
+Each one replied with an endearing term--just one, for they were not men
+of many words. And they told him "it was only his fuss." That he was
+"only a hundred, and didn't look as if he were going to be cut off
+prematurely." "That he mustn't give in and should never say 'die.'"
+
+"I cannot argue the point," replied the old man. "Let me tell you my
+last wishes as briefly as I can, for my time is short."
+
+They tried to dissuade him from talking so much, but it was of no avail,
+for he protested that it was their duty to listen to him, and he
+insisted upon having last wishes as he had read that others had had
+before him, and it would be for the sons to obey and unravel them as
+best they could.
+
+Then the father, addressing the eldest, who was ambitious and already
+past middle age, spoke as follows:--
+
+"My son, my first-born, find out the furthermost summit of the world,
+and when you have surmounted that, you can surmount anything."
+
+To his second son, who was avaricious and also getting old and rather
+bald, he said:--
+
+"Sit patiently, and wait, and when you can hear a voice that comes from
+no living throat, and can see its traces, you will want for nothing."
+
+To the third son, and consequently his favourite, who was romantic,
+being better looking and naturally younger than his elder brothers, the
+father spoke thus:--
+
+"You, my son, who are the pride of my heart, the joy of my life, the
+light of mine eyes, search the atmosphere till at your bidding it
+showers down burning stars; then shall you go to the beautiful Princess
+who awaits you, and live without labour."
+
+And the three brothers murmured under their breath:--
+
+"Poor old dad! He's certainly very unwell."
+
+But he had not yet finished.
+
+"Try to realise your ambition, my sons," he continued. "I have shown you
+the ways you should go. Then, and only then, will you have earned that
+priceless jewel--Contentment."
+
+The old man then composed himself comfortably, and died a few years
+later, after a sharp attack of senile decay, leaving many regrets and
+unsettled accounts behind him.
+
+When that happened the three sons were very sad all day and all night.
+The very next morning they called to mind his last wishes of a few years
+ago, and decided to ponder over them, give them the benefit of their
+doubt, and see if anything could be made out of them. And they stuck
+manfully to their resolution, especially as the creditors were hourly
+expected.
+
+The eldest son looked up all the maps and geography books he could get
+hold of, and studied them until he came to the uncomfortable conclusion
+that he would certainly risk death by sea and cannibals many times
+before he could hope to reach the furthermost summit of the globe.
+
+The second son sat and waited for the voice he was both to hear and
+trace, until at night he gave up in despair. So he decided that the only
+voice worth listening to was that of common-sense.
+
+The favourite son, meanwhile, went for a long walk, bent on success,
+and, unlike the others, full of a new hope. Yet, search as he would, he
+could find no spot where the atmosphere changed into stars at his
+bidding, and he returned home long after dinner-time disconsolate to his
+supper of soup which had grown cold.
+
+The next morning the three brothers arose in disappointment and vexation
+of mind. They murmured loud and long at having been sent on fairy-tale
+errands in a world where no clever talking animals really existed, or
+kind-hearted inanimate objects volunteered to befriend them on
+impossible quests.
+
+As the first-born explained:--
+
+"If I were to coax my parrot and ask him to help me in return for my
+many years of kindness, as they do successfully in fairy stories, he
+would bite me for my pains, as he always does whenever I feed him."
+
+And the second-born said:--
+
+"If I were to fondle a pin and said, 'Ah, pin! canst thou help me in my
+distress?' ten to one I would get pricked, and serve me right for being
+so imbecile."
+
+"As for me," exclaimed the romantic one, "were a gentle wolf to find me
+mooning about the forest thinking of my beauteous Princess, surely would
+he stop and, with a keen sense of the fitness of things, he would not
+trifle with politeness, but he would eat of me as much as would satisfy
+his present need--perhaps even more than he could digest."
+
+And the brothers laughed aloud in the splenetic bitterness of their
+three souls.
+
+Another year went by. The sons had paid their father's debts and made
+some on their own account; so they held a council, and they confessed
+that they had idled so long because they were haunted by the rosy
+promise their father's words held out, and, do what they would, they
+could neither forget them nor yet find any solution.
+
+Then together they pondered and thought, until one fine day (all the
+rest about that time had been wet) they concluded that as they were not
+believers in fairy tales, science perhaps might help them.
+
+So they worked and worked and worked, each with his own object. They
+certainly did not lack brains, or test-tubes, or electric wire, yet just
+as certainly did they lack money; and, but for the occasional doing of
+menial work, they would have starved and starved and gone hungry.
+
+At last the eldest son solved his mystery. Now could he surmount the
+furthest summit of the world, for he had invented a machine which could
+carry him soaring like a bird over mountains and over seas.
+
+And the second son solved _his_ mystery. Now he could hear a voice that
+came from no living throat and yet could see its traces, for he had
+invented an automaton that could speak and could record its words with a
+stylus upon tablets of wax.
+
+And the third son solved _his_ mystery. He had searched the atmosphere,
+and now at his bidding burning stars were showered down, for he had
+invented a kite fashioned on a wonderful wire, which went through the
+air and drew forth electric sparks. And his heart burned with love for
+the beautiful Princess whom he knew awaited him, though by this time she
+must be getting on.
+
+The excitement of the brothers was great. "It is our genius we can
+thank!" they exclaimed all in three breaths. "Our father, steeped in his
+old-fangled lore, never could have foreseen our triumphs. He never could
+have guessed how we should solve his posers." That was their conclusion.
+Then they shook hands all round, congratulated one another, and went
+their different ways.
+
+The eldest flew off, mounted upon his wonderful air-steed, amid the
+gaping of the astonished villagers, and his two brothers looked after
+him wistfully until he disappeared far away behind the clouds. The hopes
+of the traveller rose ever higher and higher as for weeks and months he
+soared on, exhilarated beyond all imagination. At last he came to the
+furthermost summit of which his dear father had spoken so solemnly. Over
+it sailed the son as easily as a bird. When crack! the machine broke and
+collapsed, and the unfortunate inventor was hurled headlong into the
+sea, and every moment threatened to be his last, but wasn't. As he
+floundered in the water he looked annoyed, and he murmured to himself:--
+
+"There must be some mistake. Who can truly say that I have found
+Contentment here?"
+
+Meanwhile the second son had borrowed a camel and gone off with his
+precious automaton to the great city, there to reap the reward of his
+labours. All the way he reckoned how he could best enjoy the vast sums
+of gold which would be poured into his lap. And he came to the
+conclusion that to gaze at it would give more pleasure than to spend any
+of it, except just a little for coffers to keep it in. He laughed aloud
+in anticipation. Arrived at his journey's end, he unpacked his treasure
+and set it working, and was forthwith lodged in prison--for the city
+turned out to be as narrow-minded as it was great, and it assured him
+that he must be a wizard. He assured it he wasn't, and proved that he
+didn't believe in fairy tales, for he had not relied upon them for help.
+But it was of no avail; there was nothing more to be said. This
+disappointing ending to so much effort and such real success encouraged
+him in the conviction that in the position in which he found himself he
+could find no legitimate ground for Contentment.
+
+During this time the favourite son had sallied forth singing in search
+of the beauteous Princess. His marvellous kite was slung behind him. He
+wended his steps toward the only Court he knew of, where dwelt a
+Princess good, beautiful, and unmarried--a combination of charms of
+marked rarity. So joyous and merry was he, that the squirrels squeaked
+and scurried away at sight of him, and the very hyenas laughed in
+harmony as he passed by singing, "Tra-la-la!" in his blithe
+lightsomeness. Ah, how gladsome and thrice happy was that merry, merry
+morn!
+
+Now the Princess sat in the vast hall of the palace turning up her nose
+at the stream of suitors that promenaded in front of her, very bored and
+weary at the continuous routine. But she never seemed to tire of it in
+her certainty that "the right one" would put in his appearance at the
+right moment.
+
+She was a very spoilt lady indeed; there was no one to gainsay her.
+Indeed, so spoilt was she, that every night she would cry for the stars,
+and blame the skies for being selfish and not sparing her a few when
+they knew (for she had often told them) that she wished to wear them in
+her hair. And every one said how illogical it was of her, and no one
+told her they were too large for practical purposes.
+
+One bitterly cold night, whilst she was sitting thus at her open
+casement, bemoaning the selfishness of the skies, and heedless of
+everything else, a mighty hubbub arose outside.
+
+"What ho!" called the pretty Princess. Her attendants came tumbling in
+to her in their eagerness to answer her summons.
+
+"What's without?" she inquired.
+
+Nobody knew, and tumbled out to get to know. They rushed back and told
+her all at once that a brand new suitor had arrived at that unusual
+hour, and would she snub him at once or tarry till the morrow? It took
+her a little time to unravel what was said amidst such a babel of
+voices.
+
+"La! Oh my!" suddenly exclaimed the Princess, her eyes riveted outside
+on the blackness of the night. She could scarcely believe her senses,
+for there, in her garden, stars were actually falling down in showers,
+lighting up the figure of a man who, with upstretched hand, was
+beckoning them to come!
+
+He was summoned at once to the royal presence, shivering and blue with
+cold; but his romantic heart throbbed at the sight of so much beauty,
+and his face assumed a warmer hue. He was so intoxicated with delight
+that afterwards he could never quite tell how it all came about. As in a
+haze, he remembered the Princess greeting him as the one long awaited;
+he recollected her saying that as he could wrest the stars from the
+selfish skies, he could gratify her desire to wear some in her hair, and
+bade him go collect them.
+
+He explained his invention. She grew impatient. He told her the
+electricity would kill him. She shrugged her shoulders and insisted. He
+declined to take the risk. Whereupon she turned into a fury in her
+pretty illogicality, and exclaiming that he must be the wrong man after
+all, she flung his invention into the fire and ordered him to be flung
+after it. He took the hint by the heels and fled through the window, far
+into the night.
+
+Not at all Content with his romantic adventure, or with life as a whole,
+he enlisted and became a target in the front rank of the army.
+
+It was, of course, some time later that the eldest brother--who had been
+plucked from the billows by a fisherman who happened to be passing by as
+usual--booked his passage home, and found on his arrival that the said
+home had been sold, as advertised, for building lots in eligible plots
+on easy terms, to pay expenses.
+
+The second brother, in order to secure his freedom from prison, then and
+there smashed up his automaton and trudged home, arriving just in time
+to join his brother in being ordered away from their former doorstep,
+though still held responsible for the rates and taxes.
+
+At that moment, too, the brother of the twain was deposited amongst
+them, having been invalided to his sold-up home for life.
+
+So, in order not to trespass for fear of prosecution, they all three sat
+down a little outside the boundary line and recounted each to the others
+their adventures and their experiences. It was nightfall before they had
+done, and they really could hardly help laughing. And then, after
+thinking things out, they shook hands all round in silence.
+
+For the prophecy had come true. _They were content._ The three sons were
+now thoroughly Content--to work no more, to do nothing more for the rest
+of their existence. It wasn't worth it, they said. Their disappointments
+were over, and they were fully Content that they should be so. The
+villagers, once more open-mouthed in their gaping, and open-minded too,
+differed from the inhabitants of the great city, and looked upon the
+brothers as who should say "three wise men," and took upon themselves
+the care of them in the workhouse, and were proud to get them, and to
+show them to visitors.
+
+As to the beautiful Princess, she was changed by time into an old maid,
+and still kept on turning up her nose at elderly, rheumatic suitors as
+they passed on their usual rounds.
+
+So the old father was right after all.
+
+His ambitious son had surmounted everything, including disappointment.
+
+His avaricious son had succeeded in having his wants supplied for
+nothing.
+
+And his favourite son could jog along as romantically as the workhouse
+rules allowed, without labour and without effort.
+
+
+
+
+THE LITTLE PICTURE GIRL
+
+
+It was Christmas Eve, and a little girl lay in her little bed, wondering
+what Santa Claus was going to put in her stocking this year. It was hung
+up where he would be sure to see it, and upon the same chair before the
+fireplace she had thoughtfully placed her clothes-brush in case he might
+like to brush off the soot from his coat.
+
+The grate held but a few smouldering embers, for it was late, very
+late--at least ten o'clock--and Minna ought to have been asleep hours
+ago. Perhaps she would have been, only there were so many things to
+wonder about to-night, and one cannot be sure of wondering about them
+when one is fast asleep.
+
+So after wondering about Santa Claus, she turned to the stars, which she
+could see through the uncurtained window: she wondered if they twinkled
+and winked like that because they liked it or because she liked it. Then
+there was the moon, which was looking straight at her in its own
+unblushing, beaming way and filled the room with its light; and she sat
+up in bed and watched it, wondering where it went to during the day.
+
+Now opposite her bed were three pictures, coloured and framed. One was
+of a dainty Columbine smiling at her companion picture--a Harlequin who
+stood on his toes with feet crossed, and his arms folded over his staff;
+and the pair set her wondering what she would see at the promised
+pantomime.
+
+Between them hung Minna's favourite picture. It represented a fine old
+moated house covered with snow. On the white path which led from the
+portico were tracks of little feet, manifestly made by the little
+smiling girl who stood in the act of passing over the bridge that
+spanned the moat. She appeared to be the same age as Minna, about six
+years old, and was dressed in a red pelisse and fur tippet. Her dark
+hair peeped from under a red, broad-brimmed hat with drooping feathers,
+and her hands were hidden in a large fur muff.
+
+Minna herself had just such an outdoor costume, and when dressed for her
+walk she had often wondered where the little Picture Girl could be
+going so gaily for hers. And now Minna wondered that once more as she
+glanced at her favourite picture, upon which the moon was shining so
+brightly to-night, till, bathed in the bright light, it seemed to stand
+right out from the shadows of the room.
+
+[Illustration: _The Little Picture Girl_]
+
+There was a creak, as though the old wardrobe wanted to stretch itself
+after standing still so long--a funny little way furniture has now and
+again. But Minna didn't think it was the wardrobe this time--she thought
+Harlequin had done it. For it seemed to her as though he had suddenly
+stretched forth his arm and struck out with his staff. No--he was just
+as usual, only somewhat darker, being in shadow; and as usual just ready
+to do something, yet never doing it.
+
+But surely with the favourite picture there was something
+different!--some change! It was always morning there. And now--why, now
+it was night! The moon was lighting up the old moated house, and the
+stars were twinkling over its heavy, white-capped roof. Minna looked for
+the little girl in red--but there was no little girl in red on the
+bridge at all!
+
+"Of course," reflected Minna, "she must be in bed behind one of those
+little dormer windows fast asleep--for it must be very late."
+
+This seemed strange somehow, yet it was only just as it really ought to
+be. She herself never went for a morning walk in the middle of the
+night, nor had she ever heard of any one else doing so.
+
+All at once, from the distant steeple which peeped through the white
+sparkling trees beyond the bridge, came a muffled striking of the hour,
+and Minna, to her increasing surprise, counted on her fingers up to ten,
+and then there were two more. And then, to her amazement, whom should
+she see on the bridge in the snow, which had begun gently to fall
+again--not the little girl in red--but dear old Santa Claus himself,
+covered up in fur and scarlet, trudging towards the house with
+tempting-looking parcels slung about him! Now he fixed a ladder against
+the thick, frost-laden ivy which covered the front of the old house, and
+he mounted it very carefully. Then he climbed up the roof as easily as
+if he had been walking along the high-road in the daylight. And then he
+disappeared down one of the chimneys. Very soon he reappeared without
+quite so many parcels, slowly descended the ladder, put it upon his
+shoulder, and walked off with it.
+
+Minna's eyes followed him with the utmost astonishment and interest. Of
+course, she always knew that it was Santa Claus's lovely privilege to
+come down the chimney, but she had never actually known him to do
+it--and then the joy of seeing him come out again, evidently on his
+rounds, was breathlessly delicious!
+
+[Illustration: _He mounted it very carefully_]
+
+All was quiet now--only the moon and the stars and Minna watching over
+the slumbering house and garden, about which the soft snow-flakes
+hovered and fluttered. She had more than ever to wonder about now. She
+longed for a peep--just one peep--inside that beautiful house, to see if
+the little Picture Girl was really asleep.
+
+Harlequin must have guessed what Minna wanted, for there is no doubt
+that he gave her a knowing look (though it might have been meant for
+sweet Columbine); and just as surely Minna saw his arm stretch out and
+heard the rap of his staff upon the picture frame. Then he pretended he
+hadn't done it; but she forgot all about him, so great was her interest
+in what she saw.
+
+At that touch of Harlequin's the scene had changed to a dainty bedroom.
+It was dawn. A red pelisse and hat hung upon a peg on the door, and a
+large muff peeped from its box on the shelf. A rosy light tinged the
+face of the child who was sleeping there in the old wooden bedstead, and
+woke her up. The first thing the little Picture Girl did was to look
+with content into her stocking. It was very fat. And then, with a little
+pant of delight, she discovered a lovely doll lying on her pillow. First
+she hugged and then she kissed it; then she laid her new treasure beside
+her, her heavy eyelids drooped, and she fell asleep again.
+
+And nothing stirred.
+
+"More, please!" said Minna, by this time quite at home with Harlequin.
+Again he gave that knowing look, and did as she asked. A rap, and once
+more she saw the garden. It had stopped snowing, and the sun was rising
+over the old roof.
+
+Suddenly a little sweep appeared, swung himself up by the ivy, crept
+stealthily up the tiles, and disappeared down a chimney. In a moment he
+reappeared with a doll and a fat-looking stocking, all so quickly that,
+before Minna had time to clasp her hands and cry out, he was gone
+altogether. She looked at Harlequin, but he paid no attention.
+
+"More!" she repeated eagerly. Harlequin's staff then moved and rapped.
+
+And there was the breakfast-room in the old moated house. The master of
+it sat at the table reading his newspaper. Soon he looked up and nodded
+encouragingly at his little daughter, who very seriously was making his
+tea. She nodded back and smiled. But it was a sad little smile, and her
+eyes were rather red, as though something had happened.
+
+Then the door opened, and, to every one's surprise, in marched a stout
+beadle. In one hand he held a doll and a stocking full of sweets, and in
+the other he held the collar of a little sweep, with the little sweep
+wriggling inside it. Close behind there came a tiny crippled girl, who
+moved painfully by the aid of a crutch to the boy's side, and laid a
+trembling hand on his arm. The brother and sister were much like one
+another, in feature and in squalor. Great tears were rolling down her
+cheeks, and her poor face was no whiter with pain than his with fright
+beneath the soot, though, looking lovingly at her, he tried to appear
+brave.
+
+The beadle noticed the little Picture Girl's look of recognition at
+sight of her lost treasures, and as he gave them back to her he pointed
+to the black marks on the doll's frock, which tallied with the little
+sweep's grimy paw, and then jerked his head towards the crippled child
+in whose possession he had found them. Then the stout beadle gave the
+boy a shake, just to remind him of his wrong-doing--as if any further
+reminder was needed!--and made for the door, dragging the wretched
+offender after him.
+
+But the little Picture Girl showed so much distress, stopped him, and
+looked at him so piteously, and with so much kindness in her sweet eyes,
+that he let go his grip of the collar. Then she put the presents into
+the boy's hand, and pushed him gently towards his sister. But the lad
+shook his head sadly, and looked more ashamed than ever.
+
+[Illustration: _In marched a stout beadle_]
+
+The little Picture Girl glanced at her father, who had been silently
+watching the scene. He nodded, so she pressed them on the boy, whose
+eyes now filled with tears as he gazed, humbled and grateful, at the
+beautiful young lady whose generosity saved him from punishment.
+Meanwhile, the gentleman Christmas-boxed the beadle, who smiled fatly
+and went his way. Then, for a moment or two, the picture-father's
+uplifted finger wagged a warning at the boy, who hung his head: but
+Minna could see that it was not so very terrible, because, if the boy
+had not confessed his fault, how would the beadle have known in what
+house he had yielded to temptation for his sister's sake? The little
+cripple dried her eyes at seeing her brother safe, and was very grateful
+for the gifts she hesitated to accept. But she had a right to keep them
+now; and it was not her fault that she was the innocent cause of her
+brother's offence.
+
+Food from the breakfast-table was wrapped up in the newspaper, the big
+bundle was put into the little sweep's arms, and the two poor waifs who
+had entered so miserable were sent away happy at the bright moment which
+had entered into their dark lives, whilst the little Picture Girl, who
+for the second time had lost the presents Santa Claus had brought her,
+looked after the poor little pair quite content, and smiled as she
+waved good-bye with her pretty hand.
+
+Then the master of the old moated house wiped his spectacles, which
+somehow had become quite misty. He lifted up his little daughter in his
+arms and kissed her, and, putting his hand into his pocket, drew from
+his purse a gold piece which she took with a laugh of surprise and
+delight, and threw her arms round his dear bronzed neck.
+
+Minna saw nothing more. She must have fallen fast asleep.
+
+It was very late when she awoke. The first thing she did was to smile as
+she trotted off to look at what Santa Claus had put in her stocking. She
+had seen him on his rounds. She had seen his parcels. Dear, kind old
+Santa Claus, who saves up all the year to be the loving, generous friend
+to little children at Christmas-time. Minna smiled again as the thought
+flashed through her mind. She approached her stocking. It looked rather
+thin--horridly thin. It was empty! She ran to her pillow. Nothing on it,
+nothing under it! She could not understand it. Oh, Santa Claus!
+
+She gave a big gulp, and decided to wait and see what her father would
+say about it. She had to bustle too, for the bell would very soon ring
+for breakfast, at which it was her duty to preside.
+
+"Papa, Santa Claus has forgotten me!" were her first words after the
+morning kiss.
+
+[Illustration: _Smiled as she waved good-bye_]
+
+At this, her father pursed up his lips with a blank look. "Dear, dear!
+Good gracious! 'Pon my word! What a forgetful old Santa Claus. I'm
+afraid he's getting past his work. Perhaps," he said, turning to the
+window, as a tear was gathering in each of Minna's bright eyes, "the
+snow was too thick."
+
+"No, Funnyums" (she often called him that), "it wasn't the snow. I know
+he was out in it, 'cos I saw him."
+
+"Saw him, did you?" he replied, smiling. "Well, perhaps he gave all the
+toys away till there were none left, and then, as the shops were shut,
+there were no more to be had!"
+
+Minna now felt sure her father was joking as usual, and that there must
+be some secret.
+
+"But perhaps, Minna, Santa Claus came to my room by mistake," he added.
+"In fact, it occurred to me that he might. He's getting short-sighted,
+you know, and--we are so very much alike. Suppose you go and see!"
+
+Away she ran, and there, sure enough, were Funnyums's two socks hung up!
+One looked full, the other looked empty. She found in the full one all
+sorts of good things to eat. Minna emptied it quickly.
+
+"I wish Funnyums wore stockings," she murmured. Then she went to the
+empty one, which wasn't empty, because right down in the toe there was a
+gold piece!
+
+Then Funnyums was hugged, and Funnyums was thanked, and scolded for
+being up to his tricks again, and then hugged once more to make it all
+right. All that stirring time he was quietly pretending to read his
+newspaper--just as though he really wanted to read it at all!
+
+And Minna forgot everything in the excitement of Christmas Day. That
+night she slept soundly. The following day she went to the pantomime,
+and afterwards dreamt about Columbine.
+
+It was only on the morrow that she noticed again her favourite picture,
+and then her mind wandered back to the wonderful things that had
+happened there. And as she gazed at the little girl in red, who was
+going out so joyously for her morning walk, it occurred to her where the
+little Picture Girl must be going to--she was going out, as Minna was,
+to spend the gold piece _her_ father had given her!
+
+"Ah, she deserved it," Minna said to herself. "I--I don't quite think
+I've deserved mine--that is, quite so much. I should like to do
+something for children who suffer and are poor," she muttered,
+"like--like the children in the hospital." And slowly, as she thought it
+out, she made up her mind that the doll she was going to buy should be a
+very small one, and that the rest of the money from the gold piece she
+would send to the "Children's Hospital Fund."
+
+Seldom has any child felt happier than Minna did that sunny morning as
+she donned her red pelisse and hat, and took her muff from its box. She
+paused at the door, and glanced at the little Picture Girl, who was
+smiling back at her. "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" said
+Minna out loud, dropped her a little curtsey, nodded gaily, and ran
+out.
+
+
+
+
+THE SLEEPING BEAUTY'S DREAM
+
+     "She pricked her hand with the point of the spindle, and fell
+     into a deep, deep sleep."
+
+
+And the creepers that had been climbing over the castle walls for a long
+time, searching for the turret chamber wherein the sleeping Princess
+lay--the ivy, the jessamine, the briar rose--climbed round odd niches
+and corners, as if all were curious to see the lovely maiden under the
+Fairy Spell. But the years went by and none had reached so high, though
+one sweet little briar rose had not given up hope, and crept steadily
+onward and spread as it went. And this is the dream of the beautiful
+Princess:--
+
+She dreamt that she arose and wandered forth out of the castle gates, on
+to the sunlit terrace. Her attendants had dozed over their labours, and
+she wondered at their laziness. The peacocks had stopped in their
+strutting and had fallen asleep; even the singing-birds in the trees had
+ceased their trilling and hidden their little heads under their wings.
+But the Princess did not tarry. She went straight on, past the closed-up
+daisies and sunflowers and the drooping foxgloves, past the goldfish
+drowsing in the fountain basin, for all around Nature was hushed and had
+fallen asleep.
+
+Without hesitation she crossed the meadow of wild flowers, and reached
+the willow path that skirted the sparkling river, and did not stop until
+she reached a willow larger than the rest. Then, bending under its
+branches, she neared the water's edge. There an old wooden skiff was
+moored; lifting her silken robe, she stepped into it, unfastened the
+cord, and, reclining on the embroidered cushions, she closed her eyes
+with a happy sigh. Away drifted the bark with its lovely burden. The
+sunlight turned to twilight with lurid gleams, and pale green flecks
+jewelled the sky; the twilight turned to dark grey and silver, and the
+moon and stars watched her on her way. The bark floated to where the
+silent river joined the open sea; still peacefully on it went, over the
+bosom of the moonlit ocean, onward into the night.
+
+The Princess's sweet thoughts were disturbed by the sudden stopping of
+her craft, which had run aground on the sands just where the tiny
+wavelets retreated shyly, to venture again and as quickly withdraw.
+
+Soft and balmy was the summer's night, and on the breeze music came,
+wafted towards the young Princess, who smiled and landed lightly, drawn
+by the bright strains which led her, following, to a pleasure ground.
+Lights hung festooned in the great trees, and in an open space peasants
+in their picturesque costumes were dancing, and laughing as they
+stepped. The Princess, from behind a tree, gazed on the scene, on the
+glades and lake in the distance--all mysterious in the night; and as she
+listened to the laughter and the music, she knew she had never heard
+anything so delightful before.
+
+Happy at the sight and sounds, she moved from behind the tree, and she
+saw a young man approach her with great respect--one of a group who were
+not dancing. The Princess would have fled, but he was already close; and
+although his dress betokened origin as humble as that of those around,
+he was as handsome as a young god. They looked into one another's eyes;
+then she accepted his invitation to dance.
+
+Afterwards they sat together on a mossy knoll and talked low--all was
+silent around, and the light of the stars was reflected in the
+glow-worms, but the Princess did not tell him who she was; and when he
+spoke of a quest on which he was about to start, to find his unknown
+betrothed, who awaited him in a distant land, she wept. Her sweet tears
+fell upon his hand, which he raised to his lips and reverently kissed
+them there, and she smiled on him for doing so. But the smile faded as
+an old woman came, and, plucking him by the sleeve, told him it was the
+hour to go. And when the Princess was alone she felt as though she had
+never known before what it was to be alone.
+
+    "... and she would be awakened by a king's son."
+
+How long a time passed by she did not know. But again she saw the
+handsome peasant youth. And her heart sank as she thought that her
+release could come only through the kiss of some king's son who could
+claim her for his wife. Then she pondered no more, for she saw the
+traveller now, far, far away, where she could not get near him; and he
+was in a forest path, wrestling with desperate fury with a giant who had
+barred the way.
+
+Breathlessly she watched the youth as he struggled in the brawny
+monster's clutch. The Princess, moved by his stress, cried out in her
+sleep. Then the rays of the noonday sun, redoubling their forceful heat,
+shone forth with overpowering energy. The giant, struck with the pain of
+it, clasped his hands to his head, and fell backwards like a log to the
+ground.
+
+The Princess knew that her love was safe, and by her fear for his
+safety she knew, too, how dear he was to her. And she went on
+dreaming--dreaming happily of what might be the future shared with one
+she loved so much.
+
+Her heart fluttered as with foreboding of evil. She beheld a range of
+mountains, and up the foot of one of the peaks a peasant youth toiled
+his weary course. But the mountain was so slippery that his efforts were
+of no avail. As he gazed round she could see the handsome features,
+clouded by fatigue that almost was despair. She saw that the mountain
+was glistening, and that it was made of ice.
+
+Then she felt the breath of summer. She saw it lift the white pall from
+the earth--she saw it melt the belt of ice, and as she looked the
+mountain dissolved into water under the warmth of her love. She saw that
+he was safe, trudging over the carpet of cowslips, smiling as he went.
+She wanted to run towards him, but he passed through a thicket and
+disappeared from sight.
+
+The Princess arose to follow him. But she lost her way, and wandered on
+and on through a dense forest, where nothing stirred but scampering
+hares and startled squirrels.
+
+At last, towards evening, she came to a path all gay with glowing
+flowers, refreshed by their evening bath of dew, and whispering to one
+another a hushed good-night ere closing their eyes to the light. As the
+Princess passed along, the strains of an organ fell upon her ear, and
+she saw a great temple before her. She stood at the open door. Within,
+hundreds of candles lighted the vast grey dome. And far beyond, in a
+haze of mystery, stood the man she loved, and by his side his bride, all
+veiled in white. And she knew his quest was done, and that he had found
+her whom he had gone to seek. Then there was a stir in the multitude,
+and a peal of bells rang out on the stillness without. The Princess sank
+down and felt as though she swooned.
+
+A kiss was on her lips, and she trembled, for she knew the moment had
+come for the Prince to claim her. But the kiss was sweet. The Sleeping
+Beauty came slowly back to consciousness; she awoke, and before her was
+a tall knight in silver armour. His handsome features were lighted up
+with joy: she knew him well, and, enfolded in his embrace, she murmured
+happily:--
+
+"It is you, O Prince, the youth of my dream!"
+
+And the little briar rose peeped in at the turret casement and nodded in
+the breeze at the lovers as they sat close clasped, and as the bells
+pealed forth, told the news to the ivy, which told it to the jessamine,
+until soon the tidings spread over the great city far and wide, and over
+all the joyful land.
+
+
+
+
+THE GAMEKEEPER'S DAUGHTER
+
+
+"Just run up to the Grange and tell her ladyship the bull-pup is doing
+nicely, and that you bandaged its leg as she showed you. Make haste,
+lass, if you're not too tired, as her ladyship would like to know before
+she drives out."
+
+"All right, Dad; I'll run. It's much too cold to walk."
+
+Rogers, the gamekeeper, glanced with pride after the little retreating
+figure, and then, as his old mother was standing in the draughty porch
+awaiting him, he kissed her wrinkled face, and they entered the cottage
+together.
+
+Nancy was soon at the Grange, her cheeks aglow under the scarlet hood of
+her cloak. New people were at the big house, and there seemed a deal of
+bustle going on. She waited in the vestibule and stared at the
+brightness, at the beautiful pictures and decorations where, ever since
+she had known the Grange, all had been damp and decay. She had never
+seen anything like this before, and she was enjoying the novelty, mixed
+with awe at all the grandeur, when a little girl richly dressed, about
+three years old, ran up to her. Nancy dropped a little bob of a curtsey,
+as her grandmother had taught her to do to the gentry.
+
+Little Iris was not at all shy, and was full of one thought only--the
+thought of Christmas--so that she burst out with: "D'you know
+to-morrow's Christmas Day?" and, without waiting for a reply, she
+babbled on: "I'm going to have such boo'ful things--a dolly that sends
+kisses, a pamberlator for her to ride in, a gold watch with real ticks,
+and a titten with real scratches. Guess who'll bring them."
+
+"Her ladyship?" ventured Nancy, dazzled at such a haul of magnificence.
+
+"No, not Mummy," exclaimed Iris, capering with delight and revealing
+more of her frills and laces.
+
+"I can't guess, Miss," said Nancy, smiling through her diffidence--which
+was just what Iris wanted her to say.
+
+"It's Santa Claus! Santa Claus always brings me just what I want. Isn't
+it clever?"
+
+"Who's Santa Claus? Is it your aunt, Miss?"
+
+"I'm 'peaking to you about Santa Claus--a gen'lman. I've not seen
+him--never been able to catch him yet."
+
+"Catch him! But who tells him what you want?" She was getting quite
+interested.
+
+"The little bird."
+
+Nancy felt completely mystified. What a different world this seemed to
+hers!
+
+"What toys are _you_ going to get?" continued Iris.
+
+"Oh, no _toys_. I live in the cottage in the forest. Dad is always so
+busy, and I help him look out for poachers--so I have useful presents, I
+don't have toys. Granny gave me this warm cloak last year; and then,
+Dad's pockets get so full of sweets that they last for months."
+
+"Sweets and useful things aren't p'esents," said Iris, surprised. "Poor
+little girl! Wouldn't you like toys?" she added.
+
+"I think so, Miss--at least, I've not seen many. Cousin Janey has a
+skipping-rope and a workbox, but she won't let me touch them."
+
+"Ah! you've been here long enough, Iris darling. I hear Nurse calling
+you," exclaimed a soft voice, and her ladyship, with a kindly look at
+the visitor, laughingly caught up her little daughter in her arms before
+the child even knew she was there. Then she received the message, gave
+the little messenger a slice of cake, and in a moment Nancy was
+leisurely munching the fee as she trudged her way back on the grass
+through the frosty park. The dusk was gathering, when suddenly in the
+stillness she heard a dull thwack as of a stick against a branch--which
+caused her to stop and listen. She knew what the sound meant.
+
+"That's one of those poachers: he's knocked down a pheasant, I'll be
+bound!" said the gamekeeper's daughter to herself. "I'll just be after
+him!" and, gathering her skirts close around her, she crept through into
+a thick plantation. She had the intrepid fearlessness of her father,
+whose companion on his rounds she had been, when no danger was thought
+to be afoot, ever since she was old enough to ride pickaback. It came
+quite natural to her to help him, and though the old grandmother
+grumbled at her boyish ways she said nothing, for the child was obedient
+enough, and could read and write and sew; and, moreover, her son would
+brook no interference with his treasure--especially since her mother had
+died.
+
+"Drop that!" cried Nancy. "Who's there?"
+
+Hearing only a girl's voice, a rough-looking fellow emerged grinning
+from behind a tree, with the dead bird he had just picked up in his
+hand. A limp bag was slung over his shoulder, a stout staff was in his
+other hand, and a snarling "lurcher" dog slunk at his feet.
+
+"Steady, Muffins!" said the man, giving the cowering animal a gentle
+kick as a reminder. "Now, Missy, what can I do for you?"
+
+[Illustration: "_You can just hand over that pheasant_"]
+
+"You can just hand me over that pheasant. Ah! it's you, is it? I know
+you, Tom Grollins, and I'll report you to the gamekeeper."
+
+The poacher gazed at her stupidly for a moment. "Give you the blessed
+bird and be reported too, Missy? Come, that ain't 'ardly fair, is it?
+(_Will_ yer lie down, Muffins?) Now look 'ere. If I give yer the bird,
+will y'promise not to say a word as it was Tom Grollins--on yer davey,
+now? Will y'promise, Missy?"
+
+She nodded. Tom Grollins was not very strong of intellect, and he was a
+known coward, and as the sound of a carriage was heard close by, the
+bargain was hastily concluded; the pheasant was handed over without
+further parley on the undertaking of the promise--"No names."
+
+The promise, of course, Nancy faithfully kept when she delivered to her
+father the bird she had demanded with such pluck and authority, and told
+him how she had got it. The gamekeeper laughed, remarking that he
+wouldn't press her, but could make a pretty shrewd guess if he chose.
+However, she was worth her weight in gold, he said, and he patted her on
+the head for a trump--and Nancy felt uncommonly proud. But she didn't
+quite understand what he meant when he said that terms such as she had
+made would not be quite approved of by the Lord Chancellor.
+
+Then as Granny came in Nancy told of all she had seen, and of all the
+wonderful presents the tiny lady at the Grange was going to receive at
+Christmas, because she wanted them; and that a gentleman staying at the
+house called Mr. Santa Claus gave them, and knew what to get, because a
+bird--a parrot, she supposed--had heard and told him what the little
+lady wanted.
+
+That night when Nancy was in bed she could think of nothing else but
+Santa Claus and the wonderful toys; and the thoughts were just beginning
+to get confused with a greatly envied skipping-rope and workbox, when
+she suddenly sat bolt upright in bed wide awake.
+
+Her room was a tiny one leading off the kitchen, and in the moonlight
+she had just seen Tom Grollins pass by--this time with a full bag on his
+back, and the faithful Muffins was close at his heels.
+
+"Well, I never did!" exclaimed Nancy, in her astonishment and vexation
+unconsciously quoting her grandmother; "I _never_ did! Now what's to be
+done? Gran's no use--Dad's out. But Dad's sure to find that wicked
+poacher," she reflected, on hearing the clock strike nine: "he's in the
+forest, and can't be far." And she lay back, relieved at the thought
+that her father had suspiciously refused the invitation of a shabby,
+gaitered, and very doubtful sportsman, to drink Christmas in with
+mulled beer at the village tavern. She had heard her father remark
+afterwards that he wanted "to be within earshot of gunshot." So she
+wouldn't worry, for Tom wouldn't get the things after all.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+After a time Nancy changed her mind. As in a dream, but not feeling a
+bit sleepy, she quickly donned her cloak, stealthily opened the kitchen
+door so as not to disturb the old lady, and hastened out into the night.
+Curiously enough, she didn't feel cold in the bleak air--and in her
+hurry she never even noticed she was without shoes or stockings.
+
+In front of her was a man, and she quickened her pace. She soon overtook
+him--sooner than she expected, for dark clouds overshadowed the moon,
+and she was at his side before she knew it.
+
+"Tom Grollins!" she exclaimed, breathless and indignant: "how dare you!
+I've caught you again!"
+
+"I'm not Tom Grollins," replied her companion in a deep, manly voice, in
+which a funny chuckle seemed to rumble.
+
+For a moment the child hesitated. It certainly didn't sound like Tom
+Grollins's whiny treble, but then--perhaps he was pretending, so as to
+put her off.
+
+"Yes, you are," she retorted firmly. "Now, what are you doing here?"
+
+"It's a secret."
+
+"You're after poaching again. I shall report you to Dad. And," she added
+severely, "you've just got to give me this very minute all you've got in
+that bag."
+
+"All in my bag? Softly, softly: wouldn't that be highway robbery, with
+threats?" answered the jolly voice, and with a laugh--"Oh, greedy!"
+
+Nancy stopped and stared hard, but it was too dark for her to see him,
+as she had done from her bed. He had stopped too.
+
+"Who are you, then?" she asked lamely.
+
+"Santa Claus," came the reply.
+
+"Santa Claus!" repeated the child in astonishment.
+
+The dark cloud-wrack happened to part, and Nancy saw towering above her
+the dearest and most imposing old gentleman imaginable, with a large
+smiling face and long white beard. White curly hair fringed his
+holly-decked scarlet cap, and his long, loose, red coat revealed here
+and there glimpses of scarlet plush beneath. Instead of rabbits and
+pheasants, he was laden with the newest of toys; and as to Muffins, he
+was nowhere to be seen--unless he was that toy-dog dangling from the
+overflowing bag, and wearing a leather collar with bell attached, and
+a leather muzzle that ought to allay the fears of the most nervous.
+
+[Illustration: "_Who are you, then?_"]
+
+"Yes, little woman, I am Santa Claus--himself!" he repeated, with his
+jolly chuckle.
+
+"I--I--beg your pardon," stammered Nancy, quite confused.
+
+"It's all right," he replied good-humouredly. "Now shall I see you home
+before I continue my rounds?"
+
+"Oh, may I come with you?" The words had dropped out of her mouth before
+she could stop herself.
+
+Santa Claus shook his head. "Come with me, indeed? I should think not!
+Come with me? 'Pon my word!" Then he hesitated and smiled, and said
+kindly, "Well, come along, dear. You're a good, brave little girl. But
+you must know I've never made such an exception before. However, it's so
+odd to find a child who doesn't know me--even such a little village
+mouse as you--that we must really make one another's acquaintance."
+
+He drew Nancy under his cloak to keep her extra warm, and to hide her
+from view, and he showed her how she could peep out. Then he took her by
+the hand, and the quaint pair proceeded along the mysterious-looking
+forest until they came to the part Nancy loved best. There, heaps and
+heaps of fir-trees grew, the tall ones protecting the wee ones, and the
+wee ones doing their best to try and grow tall too.
+
+Santa Claus stood still, and looked around, as if in preparation of some
+important matter. Nancy felt something was going to happen, and she
+peered up into the face of her guide.
+
+"Father Christmas has come!" he proclaimed loudly at last.
+
+And then what a change there was! The fir-trees all became
+Christmas-trees, lighted each one--big and little--with candles, blue or
+green, yellow or red, each burning with the same coloured light. And
+from the diamond-frosted branches hung toys innumerable. At the top of
+each tree stood triumphant a fairy-doll with wand outstretched.
+
+Nancy clasped her hands with rapture at the sight. "Oh, Santa Claus!"
+was all she could exclaim.
+
+He lifted her on to his shoulder, and let her gaze until she had gazed
+enough. Now, indeed, she realised what toys were--whence they came, and
+how they grew.
+
+Then she felt he was carrying her away, and her heart beat with
+curiosity and excitement, for she knew Santa Claus was proceeding on his
+rounds to pay visits to all the sleeping children who deserved it, while
+she was clinging to his dear old neck, and would see all that went on.
+
+The first visit was to Iris at the Grange, whither Santa Claus was
+already on his way. They entered the pretty bedroom, where the spoilt
+little lady was smiling in anticipation in her sleep; and the "dolly,
+pamberlator, watch, and titten with real scratches" (immovably asleep)
+were all produced as though by some conjuring trick from Santa Claus's
+basket or deep pockets, and duly placed to meet the child's eager glance
+on her waking.
+
+"Mr. Santa Claus," whispered Nancy, who had been wondering all the time,
+"how did we get here?"
+
+"Chimney!" he whispered back.
+
+"Chimney?"
+
+Santa Claus nodded.
+
+This didn't make her much wiser, for to her knowledge she had never seen
+the inside of a chimney in her life; but she forgot to pursue the
+subject now that something more interesting was going on.
+
+Iris had vanished, and a pale little boy lay asleep in a room above a
+flower shop.
+
+"He doesn't care for toys," whispered Santa Claus; "he loves that pink
+geranium by his side." And a gaily painted watering-pot was placed next
+to his flowering possession. "How white in comparison with the blossom
+the suffering, pinched little face looks on the pillow!" thought Nancy;
+"he _will_ be pleased." Before they left, Santa Claus filled the can
+with water from the cracked toilet jug.
+
+In the large house across the way were sounds of bright music--a party
+was going on.
+
+"I'm afraid it's too early to go there yet," said Santa Claus,
+consulting his great watch. "However, we'll go and see; it's really high
+time for all youngsters to be in bed." In the night-nursery were two
+cots. Both were empty. "I must call on my way back," he said.
+
+Just then the door opened, and childish voices were heard shouting:
+"Santa Claus! We'll catch him if we're quick!"
+
+And there was only just time for the two travellers to disappear before
+the lights were turned up and the owners of the cots rushed in.
+
+"Nearly caught that time!" exclaimed Santa Claus, as they proceeded on
+their way (it was extraordinary how alert and agile he was for such an
+old and portly gentleman), and he burst out into a loud laugh, and only
+recovered from it as they entered a long room full of small beds. It was
+decorated with holly and mistletoe. A light burned at one end, where sat
+a pleasant-looking nurse half-screened in the corner by the fire.
+
+Nancy followed Santa Claus's movements with breathless interest as he
+flitted to each little sleeping occupant of the hospital ward--for such
+it was--placing here a toy horse of skin and harness with a long wavy
+tail; there a lovely picture-book with a green cover, on which the
+title was printed in large gold letters.
+
+Twice only did Nancy heave a little sigh, quickly repressed, and her
+eyes filled with longing: once when a skipping-rope was loosely tied
+round the clasped hands of a little girl who was convalescent, and was
+going to leave, as Santa Claus explained; and once again when, creeping
+on tiptoe, he placed under the chair of the dozing nurse a very smart
+workbox, with the name engraved on top.
+
+Every now and then Santa Claus would linger to smooth the look of pain
+from a little suffering face into a smile, or touch with his cool palm a
+little fevered hand.
+
+As she trotted round with him, tears of pity and happy sympathy filled
+Nancy's eyes, and she tried to give Santa Claus a good hug--only she
+couldn't reach half-way round--while he tenderly wiped those tears on
+his big cuff, and carried her off, a long way, to a very poor cottage.
+There they peeped round from behind the door.
+
+Everything looked bright, and sounded happy too, and every now and
+again, amid the laughter and the chatter, the arrival of Santa Claus was
+gaily prophesied. Three little girls were dancing round three of those
+tiny decorated Christmas-trees Nancy had seen that eve, and their
+parents, looking on happily, echoed their exclamations of joy. She was
+surprised to see so much jollity in so poor a place; but Santa Claus
+didn't seem to be so--he merely muttered, "It's all right this year!"
+and withdrew with her the same way they had come.
+
+"And now," remarked Santa Claus cheerily, "before I go back to the party
+children or do anything else I must visit all the other hospitals. I've
+brought you home because you must be very tired, little woman. I'm
+terribly busy to-night--half afraid I shan't get it over in time: just
+think of the disappointment if I don't! So good-night, Nancy! Pleasant
+dreams! A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"
+
+And his kind face bent over her in bed, as it had over so many others
+that Christmas Eve; and as he pressed her hand he added, with a smile,
+"I've a terrible lot to do, and I mustn't forget _anybody_!"
+
+The dawn heralded once again a Christmas Day, and when the sun peeped
+forth he awoke Nancy. She looked round, and uttered a cry of surprise
+and delight. For before her astonished eyes she seemed to see a little
+fairy-land all to herself. Grouped about her bed were a skipping-rope, a
+workbox--both handsomer than Janey's--and a little box besides. She
+couldn't believe they were real, so she felt them all over, and not only
+found they were quite real, but the little box when it was touched sent
+forth the most lovely, mysterious music.
+
+"Dear, kind, darling Santa Claus!" exclaimed Nancy. Then she saw that
+beside them there was also a plum pudding with a Christmas card
+attached, from the new mistress of the Grange. What was puzzling was
+that on a chair close by hung three pairs of her father's new socks with
+a paper asking her to mark them; but they were marked already, and were
+full of good things to eat.
+
+Never in all her nine years had Nancy had such a Christmas. After saying
+her morning prayers, she sat down at the table, where, with elbows
+outspread and her little tongue peeping out as she moved her pen, she
+wrote the following letter:--
+
+     "DEAR MR. CLAUS,--Thank you very much for those lovely
+     presents: I like them very much. And thank you for the lovely
+     time I had going about with you last night. I shall never
+     forget it. Please forgive me for thinking you were the wicked
+     poacher, Tom Grollins. I must now say good-bye.
+
+     "I send you 200 kisses (x x x etsetra).
+
+                                       "Your grateful little friend,
+                                                     "NANCY ROGERS."
+
+And then she addressed it to him at the Grange.
+
+When Nancy had stamped and posted it, her grandmother and her father
+came in to breakfast, and received Nancy's grateful thanks, for she wore
+a pretty new frock. Then she told them that as she had hurried back
+from the post-box, so as not to be late for breakfast, she had heard the
+head gardener say to the butler that Tom Grollins had been seen that
+night striding quietly along with a big bag well stuffed.
+
+"But, Dad," continued his daughter with conviction, "it isn't true. I'm
+sure it's a mistake."
+
+"Why isn't it true, lass?" inquired her father. "It's likelier to be
+true than not."
+
+"Because I made the same mistake myself," said Nancy.
+
+"Well, it would take a good deal to persuade me that my little meeting
+with that slippery rascal turned out to be a mistake!" exclaimed the
+gamekeeper, as he set down his cup and smiled with satisfaction. "When
+did you meet him, little woman?"
+
+"Last night."
+
+"And who do you fancy it was, dearie?" asked the old grandmother.
+
+"I _know_ who it was, Gran. It was Mr. Santa Claus!" As they smiled
+still, she ran and fetched his presents she was anxious to show.
+
+And Nancy knew she was right, and that it _was_ Santa Claus, for nothing
+more was heard of the poacher Tom Grollins for ever so long, and every
+one Nancy asked seemed to know all about Santa Claus having been on his
+rounds that night--even those who hadn't seen him.
+
+[Illustration: _She ran and fetched his presents she was anxious to
+show_]
+
+
+
+
+ALL ON A FIFTH OF NOVEMBER
+
+MORNING
+
+
+It might have been the middle of the night; but it wasn't--it was Guy
+Fawkes' Day, and eight o'clock on a foggy morning. The London square was
+more than usually hushed and mournful, except for a warning call or
+whistle as a van cautiously lumbered along, or blundered on to the
+pavement. The nursery fire did its best to look cheerful: the lights
+were all on too, showing up the bright pictures on the walls and the
+bright faces of the three children who were chattering gaily at the
+breakfast-table. And they all looked so smart! Alec and Frank in their
+best suits, and tiny Molly wore her prettiest white frock and her coral
+necklace, just as if she were going to a party.
+
+They soon scrambled off their chairs, and Molly, standing on tiptoe,
+seized hold of a bunch of lilies tied up with ribbon that was on the
+side table, and each of her brothers eagerly possessed himself of a neat
+brown paper parcel.
+
+It was Father's birthday. The occasion was always kept as a holiday, and
+the children were waiting for his call to summon them to his
+dressing-room.
+
+"I think he must be fifty!" remarked Alec.
+
+"I fink he's fifteen," said their little sister.
+
+She spoke in a tone of conviction, accompanied by a toss of her short
+curls.
+
+"Don't be silly, Mollikins," replied the boys with a laugh; but she said
+she was sure she was right.
+
+"Halloa, Kidlets! Come along down!" came the shout of a manly voice.
+There was a stampede, and a race as to who should get there first. Molly
+arrived a bad third, but it was she who was first for him, for he went
+towards her and picked her up. She put her free arm around his neck, but
+instead of making him her little speech she exclaimed as he kissed her--
+
+"Why, Daddy, your chin is full of splinters!"
+
+The boys delivered their presents, and were kissed or patted on the
+head, and thanked, before Molly parted with the flowers which she held
+so tightly in her little fist.
+
+"Your Babyship is very kind," said her father, gratefully shaking her by
+the hand, and, laughing still, he put her down. Then he took her hint,
+and seriously began to shave.
+
+They knew they mustn't talk to him whilst that important function was
+proceeding, so the three stood still, deeply absorbed as they watched
+the performance that fascinated them with its dangers and its
+hairbreadth escapes.
+
+"_Now_ I can kiss my little Mollikins and she won't complain." He put
+down the towel, took her up again, and rubbed his smooth cheek against
+hers.
+
+"Daddy, tell me how old you are," she asked, looking into his eyes.
+
+"Oh, how can I do that? It's a secret."
+
+"Do whisper it," she coaxed. After a moment's hesitation he smilingly
+whispered something into her ear.
+
+"Oh, what a 'tock of years!" she exclaimed.
+
+"What is it?" clamoured Alec. "I'm sure I'm right."
+
+"I'm sure I am!" asserted Frank.
+
+"I _know_!" cried the delighted Molly, bursting with importance. "May I
+tell?" Her father nodded. "Twenty-one!" she exclaimed triumphantly.
+
+"Bosh! Why, he said he was that last year!" cried Frank.
+
+"And the year before," asserted Alec; "and the year before that--I
+remember quite well. Father always says that."
+
+"Guy!" called their mother just then. "Please send the children in to
+me." She was having her morning tea, so the young people ran into the
+adjoining room to hug her and be hugged in return.
+
+
+NOON
+
+"Sun's tum out!" announced Molly, as she toddled away from the nursery
+window.
+
+"Hooray!" shouted Frank. "It's going to be fine for this evening!"
+
+There were going to be great doings. Father's birthday and Guy Fawkes'
+Day made a grand double event long looked forward to with enjoyment.
+
+"Hooray!" echoed Alec rather feebly, for he was desperately busy.
+Outside--now that the fog had lifted--the busy hum could be heard of
+everyday life, mingled with boys' shouts as they trundled a guy about.
+
+"I've found something out!" suddenly exclaimed Alec in a curious voice,
+and he spread out on the table the front page of an old _Times_. "Look
+here, Frank!" he continued in growing excitement. "Here, under the
+Births--marked with red pencil--'Guy Thompson!' That's Father--here's
+the date. Wait a moment. Now I'll reckon it out. Hush! Don't say
+anything while I do the sum. _I say!_ Father _is_ twenty-one!"
+
+"_I_ knew it!" exclaimed Molly, capering about. "I told you so."
+
+"Rubbish!" said Frank. "Molly, do shut up. Alec, where did you find that
+paper? How did it come here?"
+
+"I found it there, on the rocking-chair. It looks old, and it _is_ old.
+See, here's the date. It's very funny! I wish we could find out--it
+_would_ be jolly to find out all by ourselves, if this really can be
+true. I say, I know who'd tell us. I've heard all about Somerset
+House--where you can get to know about people and their affairs--only I
+don't know where the place is, or who lives there."
+
+"An omlibus will take us anywhere," spoke up Molly.
+
+"Who's _us_?" inquired Frank scornfully.
+
+"Never mind _her_," said Alec excitedly. "I'll tell you what. Listen:
+this afternoon, when we've got to be in the play-room, let's go in a cab
+to Somerset House, and just get to know once for all. I've got four
+shillings in my money-box; what have you got?"
+
+"I'll count." Frank counted up to five shillings.
+
+"The man may want more. Mollikins, what have you got in your purse?"
+
+"Dot sixpence."
+
+"Well, if you pay your share, we'll take you with us--that is, if you
+can put on your own hat. I can help you with your coat." And so it was
+arranged.
+
+And at three o'clock that cold afternoon Alec, Frank, and Molly might
+have been seen stealing forth into the keen air; they were supposed to
+be playing at marbles in the garret or they might have been seen, and
+packed back again. The boys were well muffled up, and Molly had her hat
+on with the back to the front. The three were in high spirits once they
+were off, and they realised the full importance of such an adventure. In
+Alec's hand was the sheet of newspaper in which the truth of the
+paragraph was to be tested. Alec hailed the first cab, the driver shook
+his head. The second paid no attention. The third asked them who they
+thought they were getting at and where they thought they were going to.
+
+"Somerset House!" ordered Alec, after quickly lifting Molly in, and
+Frank had closed the door smartly. On the way there they behaved much
+better than they usually did when they drove out. No one fidgeted; no
+one complained of feeling hungry, or thirsty, or tired, or anything.
+
+When they alighted the cabman was told to wait. Molly and her brothers
+passed through the imposing gateway of Somerset House, and were starting
+to cross the quadrangle, when they saw the Beadle in his fine uniform
+(whom they took to be the Duke), and learned from him where they could
+find the room of which they were in search.
+
+"Births, please," said Alec, bold as brass, to the gentleman behind the
+counter. He was leader and spokesman whenever they went shopping, and he
+was leader and spokesman to-day. Frank never interfered. And Molly had
+gone stonily shy. "Births, please," repeated Alec, impatient at being
+stared at.
+
+"What name?" said the gentleman, looking at them amused.
+
+"Thompson," replied Alec.
+
+"Any particular Thompson? You see, we may have several Thompsons in our
+entries--five or six at least."
+
+"This is Mr. Guy Thompson," said Alec, showing the marked paragraph.
+
+"Very well," said the gentleman (who, thought Alec, must be the Duke's
+butler). "But have you got the fee?-the half-crown you must pay for the
+search?"
+
+"A half-crown's very dear," said Alec. "Can't you do it for less?"
+
+The gentleman looked at them with kindly eyes. "I dare say I can," he
+replied, putting his hand in his pocket, and rattling some coins. "But
+I'm afraid you'll have to pay a shilling. The King wants one." They paid
+their shilling for the King; watched while the gentleman looked up his
+records, and followed him into the corridor as he prosecuted his search.
+At last he said--
+
+"Quite right. Born on the fifth of November: year's all right. It's all
+in order."
+
+"Then Father _is_ twenty-one?" queried both boys doubtfully.
+
+Molly hopped on one foot in suppressed excitement.
+
+"_Your father!_" exclaimed the kindly clerk, handing back the coin.
+"Why, how old are you?"
+
+"Ten," replied Alec. "Thank you."
+
+"And so your father married at the age of ten or thereabouts, did he?
+Dear me; very precocious of him!" exclaimed the clerk, with such a
+serious face that the children felt quite uncomfortable. They had not
+considered the matter in that light at all. Their faces fell, and they
+felt such a wish they had never come that without a word of explanation
+they turned and fled. They were glad to be once more outside the
+building, and thankful to find the cabman still there waiting to take
+them back, and in their discomfiture he was hailed by them joyfully as a
+dear old friend.
+
+"Home!" said Alec, when they were inside.
+
+"And where might that happen to be?" asked the driver with interest.
+
+Molly, womanlike, jumped at a conclusion. "We're lost!" she wailed, and
+burst into tears, and it was only when she was in sight of her own
+nursery windows that she was comforted, and smiled once more. Without
+any inquiry, all their remaining savings were emptied into the willing
+palm of the delighted driver, who bowed his acknowledgments repeatedly.
+
+The children ran through the garden entrance unobserved, and had just
+got their outdoor things off when the tea-bell rang.
+
+
+NIGHT
+
+When Alec, Frank, and Molly entered the drawing-room, where their
+parents were in readiness, for the great annual frolic with Father, they
+didn't tumble in as was their usual habit; they walked in sedately. They
+had something important to say.
+
+"Truly, Daddy, how old are you?" asked Molly, running up to him. She
+wouldn't be hushed down by the boys. She felt she wanted to make sure of
+what she already knew.
+
+"I told you I was twenty-one, of course! One always expects such a nice
+lot of presents when one is twenty-one! But you two young rascals
+evidently think I really must be a very old man of forty at least!" he
+replied, smiling.
+
+"And does he never grow older, Mummy?"
+
+"I don't see it, Molly darling."
+
+"Do you ever see the _Times_, boys?" he inquired.
+
+"That's just what's so queer," said Alec. "I've got it here." Alec
+noticed the glance which his parents exchanged, and their expression of
+astonishment when Frank remarked--
+
+"We took it with us this afternoon to Somerset House."
+
+"Yes," corroborated Alec.
+
+"Me, too," chimed in Molly.
+
+And then they told of all they had done, and their parents tried to look
+grave, but couldn't, and could scarcely speak for laughing, though they
+extorted a promise that nothing of the kind should ever again be
+attempted without permission.
+
+"Surely, what is in the _Times_," reasoned their father, "must be
+true--at least one must presume so."
+
+"Halloa," broke in Alec. "I say, Frank! Look here! This Guy Thompson was
+born in Cambridge Square! I never noticed that. Weren't you born in
+Oxford Square, Father?"
+
+"Well, I think I might just as well have been born in one as in the
+other. All I know is, that if I _was_ twenty-one, I am twenty-one--_and_
+the rest--you never asked me how many more. Come along, boys, now for
+our cushion-fight! But first of all, here are your expenses back
+again--your Babyship, there's your sixpence--and now I really can't wait
+any longer for a romp!"
+
+Soon the room was gay with laughter. Father, too, had to be a real guy
+and a "pretend" one, pushed about in the arm-chair with a funny long
+nose spoiling his jolly face. And afterwards they all danced whilst
+their mother played a hornpipe--and really it _was_ very difficult to
+guess Father's years, they might have been anything!
+
+Then he suddenly ran out. There was a rush to the window, the blind was
+drawn up, and soon, in the darkness of the night, a grand
+catharine-wheel was seen whizzing round in a blaze of dripping fire.
+Then such a glorious shoot of rockets arose! Whish! bang! whish! bang!
+they went as they burst, each of them, into a shower of gorgeous stars
+all purple, and green, and gold.
+
+"A--a--h!" exclaimed the three children, gazing with rapture. And--
+
+"A--a--h!" they repeated over and over and over again, as splendour
+followed splendour, and the sky was powdered again and again with sparks
+of coloured fire.
+
+
+
+
+FATHER CHRISTMAS AT HOME
+
+TWILIGHT
+
+
+It was afternoon on a cold December day. Eva, all alone in the
+schoolroom, sat down on the hearthrug and looked thoughtfully into the
+fire. She was, however, not quite alone, for her tiny Yorkshire terrier
+sprang on her lap, and after turning round and round, pawing at her
+frock as though to make a comfortable hollow, settled cosily down.
+
+"Dot," she said, smoothing the hair back from its eyes, "I'm very
+miserable. To-morrow is Christmas Eve, and every one is happy except me.
+I'm in trouble again. Somehow, I'm always in trouble--I've spoilt my
+velvet frock washing your feet--and you didn't want them washed, did
+you?" The Honourable Dot--to give it its full title--looked desirous of
+forgetting the incident, then licked her hand as a reply seemed
+expected.
+
+"Perhaps if I had some brothers and sisters they'd get into mischief
+sometimes, and it wouldn't always be me." Dot paid no heed to her
+grammar, was bored, and sighed heavily.
+
+"I really didn't mean it when I said, 'I gloried in being naughty.'
+Don't snore, Honourable! There'll be complaints from next door."
+
+It was curious, but Eva was having remorse, brought on by all the talk
+of Peace and Goodwill which was in the air. "I've tried things before,"
+she muttered; "but I know what I'll do this time," she exclaimed, "I'll
+give a cot to a hospital!"
+
+The little dog growled a protest as she suddenly got up from the floor.
+Eva counted the money in her money-box. "I've five shillings all but
+three farthings. I'm sure that is nothing like enough!" she mused. "It
+must cost at least a million sterling pounds!" Tears came into her eyes,
+but they flowed down on to a smile, as she thought of some one who
+always managed to do kind deeds and who might help her. Father
+Christmas! Eva thought of asking no less a person than Father Christmas
+himself to advise her. But how to find him and get a nice quiet chat
+with him was the difficulty. That he would come to her on Christmas Eve
+she had no doubt, as he never forgot her; but she had only managed to be
+awake and see him once, a long time ago, and then she but got a glimpse
+of him, for he rushed out of her room as though in a terrible hurry.
+
+Dot's little mistress slept badly that night; she was racking her brain
+as to how she could manage to remain awake so as to see Father
+Christmas when he came, and then how she could coax him to stay for a
+talk--for she knew quite well how busy he must be when he was on his
+rounds.
+
+The following afternoon, during a general rummage that was going on to
+find tiny candles and coloured glass balls that were over from last
+year's Christmas tree, Eva picked up a scrap of printed paper, which had
+come out of an old cracker. She took it upstairs to her favourite spot
+on the hearthrug, and read it aloud to Dot:--
+
+    "Father Christmas sends this note
+    From out his mansion by the moat,
+    To all who live on land and sea,
+    To honour Christmas Day with glee--
+    Inviting them to pass his way,
+    With glee to honour Christmas Day."
+
+Eva flushed with excitement. "Why, it's a message from him!" she cried.
+"It's some kind of invitation!" and she gave Dot such a squeeze of
+delight that the little creature squeaked shrilly, scurried off, and
+laid low under the table.
+
+She thought and puzzled and pondered over the lines she had just read.
+At last she grasped their meaning. "Of course! How simple, after all!"
+she concluded. "He lives at some moated house, and I must go to him, not
+wait for him to come to me. He always comes down the chimney--that's
+the way I must go up!"
+
+Eva didn't hesitate a moment. The opportunity had come for which she
+longed. She ran downstairs into the large, old-fashioned hall, which was
+overheated as usual, by the hot-air pipes, for the huge chimney-place
+was too much of a curiosity ever to be used. Here, she felt sure, was
+the starting-point of her adventure.
+
+Luckily no one was about. It was windy when she looked up the great
+chimney, so she took her long, fair hair, and made it into a loose plait
+in order to keep it from blowing about her face. Then she prepared to
+start and secure the first footing.
+
+Eva had never been up a chimney before, and when she began climbing she
+was quite surprised to find how nice and clean it was, with steps, and
+all white tiles. She toiled up, and up, and could see blue sky and
+fleeting white clouds above. After a time she stopped to rest in a
+little recess in the chimney side. When she started climbing again, the
+blue sky faded away, twilight came on, and in this very, very long
+chimney the light became quite dim.
+
+Very soon, however, she felt with a little thrill of pleasure the keen
+air all around her head and shoulders, and she knew she had come to the
+top. Fortunately there was a ladder--already placed for Father
+Christmas to mount--and down that she went, looking below all the time
+so as not to make a false step. It was a very, very long ladder indeed,
+and Eva began to think she would have to go on stepping down for ever,
+when at last she found herself on the ground again--in a country field
+with hoar frost stiffening the blades of grass, across which she ran
+straight ahead as hard as ever she could go.
+
+
+STARLIGHT
+
+Once only did she halt by the side of a lane to consider what she should
+do if she couldn't find her destination after all. Two robins alighted
+in front of her, hopped about, and fluttered forward; they were so
+persistent that they interested her and she followed them. They flew
+along a side path, and Eva ran after them--ran till she arrived eager
+and breathless at a wooden bridge, and found that she was in a park;
+that above her was the dark vault of heaven decked out in all its
+diamonds; that the bridge led across a moat; and that in front of her
+was a splendid old country mansion brilliantly lighted up, where the
+robins alighted on a window-sill, and paying no further attention to
+her, busied themselves with crumbs.
+
+[Illustration: _It was a very, very long ladder_]
+
+Then Eva advanced, almost in spite of herself, went up the front steps,
+and standing on tiptoe, lifted the knocker and let it fall. The knocker
+resounded for a while musically, like a peal of bells; when they ceased,
+the door opened, and a very ancient man confronted her. He was tall and
+thin and bent, and was dressed in draperies, with bare legs, and he had
+a funny little curl in the middle of his bald forehead.
+
+"Is Father Christmas at home, please?" faltered Eva.
+
+"Yes, little Madam," came the reply. "Do you want to see him? Really?
+But you will be astonished--I warn you. Aren't you frightened?"
+
+"Not a bit," replied Eva.
+
+"Brave little girl!" said the very ancient man. "Come in!" and he
+ushered her into an old oak-panelled room. It had a delicious sense of
+comfort, and a delight about it which, for the moment, she didn't try to
+define. Her attention was attracted by catching sight of what she
+thought was her own reflection in the large mirror against the wall--it
+was a little girl who came in at the same time, and was of exactly her
+own height. As she looked closer she saw that the other child was uglier
+than herself, unkind in expression, slovenly in appearance, and tried to
+hide herself, rather, in the dark corner where she remained. And Eva,
+in the novel surroundings, soon forgot all about her.
+
+At the far end was a great log fire, and near it a huge arm-chair, in
+which sat a stout, healthy, red-faced old gentleman warmly wrapped in a
+crimson dressing-gown; he was leaning back, thinking or dozing. Eva
+advanced with soft steps. She was full of eagerness and excitement, for
+she recognised the white-bearded, handsome old face at once from the
+many coloured portraits she had seen. It was Father Christmas himself!
+Eva never knew what impelled her to do it, but when she got close to him
+she simply threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.
+
+"Bless my soul!" exclaimed Father Christmas, starting; and catching her
+up, he seated her on his knee. He recognised her at once. "How you've
+grown since last year, Eva!" and he looked at her with beaming eyes. "I
+suppose you know you're trespassing? and the penalty is forty crackers
+or a kiss!" And he chuckled and laughed so merrily that she felt quite
+comfortable, finding trespassing a very pleasant occupation, and wasn't
+a bit alarmed at the penalty.
+
+"And what brings me this honour?" he continued.
+
+"Good evening, Father Christmas," spoke up Eva quite boldly. "I'm afraid
+I disturbed you."
+
+[Illustration: "_I suppose you know you're trespassing?_"]
+
+"Oh yes, you've disturbed me all right," he replied briskly, "but I was
+only resting a little after my labours before going on my rounds
+to-night."
+
+"What labours?"
+
+"Toys. Toys and sweets. I've been making toys and things all the year
+through, and have only just got them finished in time. I love making
+crackers, too; I spend all my evenings writing mottoes for them."
+
+"I found your invitation, Mr. Christmas."
+
+"Bless me! did you now? Ah!" He stroked his beard thoughtfully for a
+moment and remained silent. Eva looked about her in amazement.
+
+"Those are all secrets!" he observed after a time. Father Christmas
+included with a sweep of the arm the toys which were everywhere
+about--hanging from the ceiling, lying about on the tables and sofas,
+standing as ornaments on the mantelpiece, filling the shelves of the
+bookcases, peeping from behind the glass cabinets--toys wherever one
+looked.
+
+He arose, and taking her by the hand, led her round to enjoy the pretty
+sight; and paying no attention whatever to the sullen little girl in the
+corner, he asked Eva if she would like to see around his domain. "Oh
+yes, yes," she cried. She quite appreciated the special honour that was
+being done her.
+
+"They'll be coming in here soon to pack," he added. "I'm going to leave
+all these secrets myself at their destinations."
+
+There was a tremendous bustle going on at the rear of the premises,
+where a whole army of packers, carriers, postmen, and porters were
+hurrying about letting down toys from the loft, packing them, labelling
+them to places far and wide; loading them on huge vans which came
+rumbling in and out of the courtyard with cracking of whips, and parting
+shouts of "Good luck!"
+
+Superintending the arrangements, walking to and fro, was the very
+ancient man. He was so alert, and always on the spot where wanted, yet
+Eva was thinking his age must at least be two hundred, when Father
+Christmas said kindly: "My dear, this is my father--he is known as
+Father Time, and you have known him without having really met him face
+to face before."
+
+"I didn't recognise him, and I didn't know he was your father, sir," she
+whispered.
+
+"Why, yes. Don't you know that my full name is Christmas Time?"
+
+"Of course it is," she exclaimed with a laugh.
+
+The next visit was through a covered way to the printing works--where
+the mottoes and "directions" for toys and Father Christmas's visiting
+cards were printed. These cards were all different in design, and each
+was a beautiful picture stamped with his name, and his own motto, "Peace
+and Goodwill."
+
+Behind was the sweet factory, with its tempting packets and muslin
+stockings of all sizes full of sugar-plums. But, as Father Time
+appeared, Father Christmas whispered that he feared they must not
+linger, and led the way up a spiral staircase in order to enable Eva to
+have a peep into the toy-loft, where men were letting the toys down into
+the busy yard below. How she would have loved to stay longer in each
+delightful place, but without a murmur she followed her guide below and
+back to the oak-panelled room. It looked so bare and different without
+the toys--much like any ordinary room.
+
+"And now, my dear," he said, "you must excuse me for a short time, as I
+must go upstairs and get ready."
+
+"Please, ought I to be going?" she asked politely.
+
+"No, no. Not yet." And he went away, up the grand staircase, to his
+bedroom. There he took from the drawer his scarlet fur-lined cloak and
+hood with wide swansdown trimming, which had been put away in lavender,
+chose his thickest top-boots, and humming a song, proceeded to array
+himself for the long, cold journey in store for him that night.
+
+Meanwhile, the moment he left his little visitor downstairs, the
+strange-looking child approached her.
+
+"What's your name?" asked Eva pleasantly.
+
+"Eva," came the surly reply.
+
+"Why, that's my name!"
+
+"Of course. I know you, I know you through and through--good and
+bad--and I wish I didn't."
+
+"You're a horrid story-teller," said Eva angrily.
+
+"Supposing I am! It's easier to tell stories than to tell the truth.
+Saves a lot of trouble. Besides, it's nice. You know that as well as I
+do."
+
+Eva would have liked to deny it, only she felt too scornful. "_Saves_
+trouble?" she said to herself. "_Makes_ trouble." But she flushed as she
+remembered she had once thought that too, but only for a moment; and she
+was ashamed of it now. She was ruffled and uncomfortable at the
+proximity of this horrid girl, who now said slyly: "Look over there in
+that cupboard, there's a doll that has been forgotten. I want it, and
+I'm going to take it and hide it under my pinafore."
+
+"You mayn't--you mustn't!" cried Eva. "It would be stealing."
+
+"I don't care. Father Christmas won't know."
+
+"Yes, he will. I shall tell him!"
+
+"Then I'll say it was given to me."
+
+"You horrid girl! You dreadful story-teller!"
+
+"Don't be silly. What does it matter telling stories and stealing, so
+long as you're not found out?"
+
+"It's just as bad if you're not found out. But you are _bound_ to be
+found out," cried Eva, in horror and disgust as she saw her approach the
+coveted treasure. "I tell you, wicked people are always found out; they
+never escape unpunished."
+
+"I want it, and I'm going to have it."
+
+"You mustn't. Come away--you shan't!" shouted Eva, running after her;
+and she seized her by both wrists. "Come away! Oh, do come away!"
+
+"You fool! leave me alone. Get away!" and with a scoffing laugh the girl
+shook herself free, sprang on a sofa, opened the cupboard, and stretched
+out her hand.
+
+Without a word Eva threw herself upon her, slammed-to the glass door,
+and in the struggle they fell together on the floor. There was a crash
+of broken glass, and through the noise Eva heard the voice of her
+opponent saying faintly: "Let me go! You have won!"
+
+When she got up, carefully shaking the bits of glass from her frock, and
+looked round, the horrid little girl had disappeared. The next moment
+her host stood in the doorway with a curious smile on his face.
+
+"I'm going now," he said; "will you come?"
+
+"Oh, please, Father Christmas," exclaimed Eva ruefully, as she looked at
+the glass on the floor, "do wait! I want to explain something--I----"
+
+"I can't keep my father waiting," he answered gently. She followed him
+to the front door. There in the frosty night a beautiful sledge was in
+waiting, hung with baskets and sacks overflowing with toys and sweets.
+Father Christmas took his seat and beckoned to Eva. To her joy he lifted
+her on to his lap and wrapped his great coat about her. Father Time, who
+was on the box, shook the reins, and the two reindeer, impatient to be
+off, sped rapidly away amid the jangling of bells, carrying the
+travellers over the bridge, through the park, past holly and fir trees
+all powdered with glistening frost, out over the country into the
+bright, crisp night.
+
+
+MOONLIGHT
+
+There was Eva with Father Christmas, all snug amongst his soft furs, on
+his rounds. "Why do you take some toys yourself," she asked, "and send
+others away in the great carts?"
+
+"Those in the carts are for my export and wholesale trade--shops, and so
+on; these _I_ take are for my special favourites. You're on my list, my
+dear, you know." Eva's heart was full of tenderness and pride, but tears
+were in her eyes as she said, peering appealingly into his kind face--
+
+"May I whisper something?"
+
+He bent his head--and she whispered.
+
+"Bless my soul!" was all Father Christmas replied, but he looked very
+pleased and jolly.
+
+"And I should like to pay for it," continued Eva; "I've got five
+shillings all but three farthings."
+
+"Never mind about that, my dear."
+
+"But I'm sure I ought," she replied dubiously. "Dear Father Christmas,
+you are always doing kindnesses; could you tell me how to do something
+like giving a cot to a hospital, or a free library, or something? That's
+what I really came to ask you about, only I forgot it until now. I'm so
+often in trouble, and I've so often tried to do some good, but it
+doesn't come off somehow," and she sighed.
+
+"What you ask me is a secret," he answered. "Some people are quick to
+find it out for themselves. Some people never find it out. But I will
+tell it to you, dear, because I know that by to-morrow you will be on
+the high road to guessing it. It is this: You need not give things. You
+needn't try to be good. Try only not to be troublesome. If you are
+sweet, and gentle, and kind, you give happiness--not only do you give
+it, but you can then only find happiness yourself." Somehow, it didn't
+sound a bit like a sermon; it was more like being told the delightfully
+easy answer to a difficult sum. Eva nestled closer to her dear old
+friend as she listened--it was all so peaceful, reassuring, and
+soothing.
+
+[Illustration: _The two reindeer ... sped rapidly away_]
+
+The moon was shining down on the sledge and its strange occupants, and
+Eva was just going to ask if he could tell her who the other little girl
+was, and all about her, when she felt her arms were being disengaged
+from where they clung about him, and she found herself gently deposited
+on firm ground, and alone.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The Honourable Dot barked with delight because it was Christmas Eve, and
+it was going with its little mistress to dine downstairs; and very
+joyful and succulent the event proved to be. Not long after, when it was
+fast asleep in its basket, Eva was sitting up in bed waiting anxiously
+to receive the visit of her recent host. Father Christmas had done her
+so much good, and she wanted to tell him so, as she had had no
+opportunity of doing before.
+
+She was dropping asleep in that attitude, when she heard a slight noise.
+Immediately she started up, and clutching tightly at a rapidly
+retreating figure, she laughed aloud to find she had succeeded in
+catching Father Christmas, who, mildly yielding to her entreaties, sat
+down by her side.
+
+"I have wakened you," he said regretfully.
+
+"Oh no, I was waiting for you." And she told him about the happy time
+she had spent with him, and thanked him nicely. "What a dreadful little
+girl that other Eva was!" she concluded. "Who was she?"
+
+"Ah," said Father Christmas very quickly, "she is what you might be were
+you to give way to bad feelings. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a
+Happy New Year, my dear!" and without explaining further he kissed her
+and rapidly withdrew on his business.
+
+
+DAYLIGHT
+
+Outside the uncurtained window the sun was shining. Snow had been
+falling softly, and was piled high on the sill. And over the hushed
+landscape from the far distance the Christmas bells were ringing. Eva
+joyfully hugged a large doll, which she had found asleep on her pillow.
+
+It was only later, when she thought over past events in detail, that it
+appeared to her, though she had not paid attention to it at the time,
+that Father Christmas seemed ill at ease when he was _her_
+visitor--perhaps it was because he was in a hurry. Somehow he was
+different from the stout, merry-faced old gentleman she had been to see;
+he had strangely shrunk to nearly as thin as her own father, and as
+pale, comparatively, which she thought very odd.
+
+And when she looked up into that wonderful and mysterious old chimney
+again, she saw that it was all dark and black, and as uninviting as any
+ordinary dirty old chimney; so that it was quite hopeless for her ever
+to venture up it again to find old Father Christmas "At Home."
+
+
+
+
+A BIRTHDAY STORY
+
+
+If it had not been Maisie's birthday this story could never have been
+written. But the day had come for her to be five years old, and, like
+every child of that age, she could no more help having a fifth birthday
+than she could imagine having it without a party. At present she was
+unconscious of all the delights in store, because it was only just dawn,
+and her curls were still tumbled about her flushed face on the pillow,
+and her eyes were still fast closed in sleep.
+
+But in a small bed quite close to hers there was a little girl, who was
+very wide awake indeed, as she leant over with neck outstretched, gazing
+eagerly at all the beautiful things so temptingly displayed on a table
+at the foot of Maisie's cot--presents from every one in the house:
+Hilda's box of beads bought with her own money; a long-promised
+story-book resplendent in bright blue and brilliant in gold; some new
+furniture for the doll's house; and a something that glittered
+strangely--Hilda nearly toppled over in her curiosity to see it. She
+found it to be a big red cracker with a funny coloured portrait of a
+smirking crocodile stuck on the outside. "What lovely things!" she
+thought, "and all for Maisie!"
+
+In two months' time Hilda was going to celebrate _her_ birthday and be
+eight years old, and have a fuss made over _her_. But two whole months
+seemed such a long way off--such a very long time to wait! Into her dark
+eyes there came a strange look of envy and longing, and her handsome
+face with the resolute expression contrasted strangely with her sister's
+as she turned anxiously towards the fair little sleeper.
+
+Holding her breath, Hilda crept slowly down on to the floor, stealthily
+approached the table, and seized the beautiful cracker. "Surely that
+would not be missed," she reflected. Just then Maisie stirred uneasily,
+which brought a flush of shame to the elder girl's cheeks; but hearing
+nothing further, Hilda jumped into bed and pushed the cracker under her
+own pillow. The crackling of the paper woke Maisie, who sat up, and in
+the middle of a big yawn espied the table, and remembered the great
+event. "Oh, Hilda," she exclaimed, "just look!" She was too excited as
+she handled her treasures to notice that Hilda never stirred, that she
+only answered shortly, "Yes, I know," and didn't even volunteer to say
+whom the beads came from.
+
+During the whole morning Maisie's excitement continued; she hopped about
+everywhere, watching the arrangements for the afternoon party, and
+chattering about who were coming; so much so, that do what she would,
+Hilda could obtain no opportunity of being alone so that she might
+satisfy her burning curiosity as to what was inside the cracker. She had
+dropped it behind the toy-box in the nursery, and there it lay, whilst
+all the time Maisie could not understand what made her sister so
+restless and impatient.
+
+Immediately after lunch, however, Hilda was able to satisfy her longing
+at last. She picked up the cracker and hurriedly opened it. What first
+came to light was a big sweet wrapped in a printed motto: "Always do
+what is right and you will be happy." She read it with a pang of mental
+shame, which was quickly followed by one of physical discomfort, for she
+had popped the sweet into her mouth and now would as quickly have popped
+it out again, only it was too late, as she had already swallowed the
+horrid thing, which was filled with a liquid that tasted of bad scent.
+Making a wry face, she rolled up the offending motto into a tiny ball
+and threw it into the empty grate. Still, it was soothing to find in the
+cracker a neatly rolled up packet of pink and green paper, which
+evidently formed something amusing--a bonnet, a cap, or perhaps an
+apron. At the same time she drew forth the "cracking thing," which she
+loved to pull and hear it go "crack." But she always did so at arm's
+length with her head turned away, and she was too frightened to pull it
+all by herself.
+
+Their nurse's voice was heard calling Maisie to come up and be dressed.
+Hilda, with a guilty, conscience-stricken look, had barely time to throw
+the useless "cracking thing" out of the open window, and to hide the
+rest of the cracker in the first thing at hand (which happened to be the
+doll's house), when they both entered laughing and carried her off too,
+to be curled and be-ribboned for the party.
+
+"I've seen my birthday cake, Hilda," cried Maisie, capering about. "It's
+booful!" But Hilda still tasted that nauseous liqueur from the sweet,
+and couldn't enter into any pleasing ideas of cake.
+
+Ready first, she ran into the nursery, curious as ever as to the pink
+and green paper bundle, took it out, unfolded it, and found that it
+would have formed a crown--only it didn't join together; she had torn it
+in her hurry. She stamped her foot with vexation, and was wondering if
+she could stick the two ends together when that tiresome Maisie came
+running in from the next room with one of her new bronze shoes on to
+show how beautiful it looked. Quick as lightning Hilda had to hide her
+secret again.
+
+"What are you doing with the doll's house? Look at my new shoe!"
+exclaimed Maisie all in a breath.
+
+And Hilda made a great fuss over the new shoe, and felt horridly out of
+temper.
+
+Punctually on the stroke of three, the first of the birthday party began
+to arrive--two little girl cousins, who at once begged to be allowed to
+see if there was anything new in the doll's house. Hilda's heart sank at
+these words, and she tried to draw their attention away, but to no
+avail, for Maisie, moving towards it, said they must see the new
+treasure there. With difficulty and something like a scuffle Hilda,
+grown desperate, prevented her from opening it, and managed to do so
+herself, quickly stuffing the bunch of paper into her pocket without
+being noticed. Much admiration was bestowed on the new addition--a
+little motor car which had been conveniently placed in the kitchen of
+the doll's house ready to take out for an airing the little china lady
+and gentleman who sat so rigidly and smiled so vacantly in the storey
+above.
+
+Meanwhile, Hilda was inwardly owning to a feeling akin to dislike for
+the very thought of that cracker, for the paper was bulging out her
+pocket, flatten it as she would. She was not happy, for never before had
+she done anything underhand. In fact she always tried to be an example
+for her young sister, and she already regretted having given way to the
+momentary impulse of envy. However, there was no time now for thoughts
+or remorse, and when she reached the drawing-room she forgot all about
+her trouble in helping to receive the guests.
+
+Eight little girls were grouped in one corner of the room whispering,
+with eyes busily engaged staring at one another's sashes; whilst eight
+little boys had flocked together and were looking sheepishly from out of
+an opposite corner. One boy, however--who had been gazing long at
+Hilda--with heroic resolution detached himself from his kind, and
+entered the rival camp, where he was welcomed with pleasure and
+interest. He was a young Highlander, with sandy hair and many freckles,
+but his attraction was great, for he wore his native costume. The
+jewelled hilt of a dagger showed above one plaid stocking, and on his
+shoulder he wore a fascinating brooch with a large brown stone, which
+was the envy and admiration of all the little ladies present.
+
+Suddenly the guests were all swooped upon by a big lady, Maisie's
+mother, mixed up, and disentangled into couples; a piano was set going,
+and they danced, hopped, and twirled about, wondering if they liked it;
+the girls thought they did, and the boys were sure they didn't--all
+except the Scotch boy, who had constituted himself Hilda's devoted
+partner, and was enjoying it immensely. The polka finished, these two
+sat chatting merrily at the window, when all at once Hilda became
+silent. She happened to catch sight of something sticking out of the ivy
+on the sill. It was the "cracking thing" which she had thrown from the
+window above. Her partner was surprised to see her look as though she
+were going to cry. She didn't dare do that.
+
+Just then tea was announced. Weighty recollection of warnings from
+home-counsellors came to the minds of the children, which warnings,
+however, conveniently faded away at sight of the good things set forth
+so temptingly in the dining-room: custards, jellies, and all those
+concoctions beloved of the youthful interior. But the chief interest
+centred in Maisie's gorgeous cake, which had her name and age flowingly
+written in coloured sugar, surrounded by the most realistic and sweetest
+of red roses imaginable, nestling in the coolest-looking golden leaves.
+
+Hilda sat by the side of her Scotch cavalier, who had taken her in, and
+who was much concerned when he found that she had no appetite, but less
+distressed when he found that that fact did not affect his.
+
+Once during the meal, Hilda heard their mother ask Maisie, as she helped
+her cut the birthday cake, what was in her cracker, and Maisie replied,
+as she looked up from her struggles, "What cracker?" but then, in her
+anxiety to know why Hilda refused to taste any of her cake till the
+morrow, she did not pursue the subject.
+
+After tea more excitement, for there was Mr. Punch and his company, who
+were in excellent form.
+
+"Oi, Oi, Oi!" repeated that gentleman for the dozenth time, as he bobbed
+about aimlessly, in his anxiety to hit the clown and take the patient
+Toby between his jointless arms.
+
+Later on, the eyelids of the party children began to grow heavy, though
+the eyes remained unnaturally bright; and tempers became less even and
+more natural. And so, like everything else, the birthday party came to
+an end, and "Good-byes" were said with regret. That night cots and beds
+were not despised, nor did they prove unwelcome for once, for little
+tired heads were rested gratefully on cool pillows. Maisie was an
+exception; she tossed about on hers, too happy and excited to get to
+sleep, whilst Hilda, worn out, lay on her back with her mouth wide open,
+breathing heavily, and dreaming.
+
+Hilda dreamt that she was alone in a boat on a ruffled lake. On a white
+flag in the prow was a motto printed large, but upside down. She dreamt
+that all around the frail craft, which rocked on the stormy waters, were
+grinning crocodiles wearing broken crowns made of pink coral and green
+fluttering paper. She crouched low and tried to hide, for she knew that
+if the horrid creatures found her out she was lost for ever. Land was
+quite close, but she didn't know how to get there, because her frock
+was made of red crackling stuff, which glistened and made a noise
+whenever she moved.
+
+She felt sick with fright, and sobbed and moaned at her terrible plight,
+and sobbing, she woke to find that it was quite dark, that the moon was
+shining on Maisie smiling in her sleep, and that she herself had been
+dreaming.
+
+At breakfast next morning, Maisie and their mother were already seated
+when Hilda silently took her place next her chattering little sister;
+but it seemed to her that their mother looked unusually grave. When
+Hilda lifted the cover off her bread and milk bowl, Maisie suddenly
+looked in it and exclaimed: "Oh, how pretty." But Hilda turned very red,
+and she hung her head ashamed. For in the bowl there was no bread and
+milk--nothing but a crumpled red glazed paper with a hateful picture of
+a smiling crocodile, something pink and green, a tiny paper ball of
+printed paper, and a stiff thing sticking up--easily guessed at, but now
+blurred and indistinct to Hilda's tearful view.
+
+"Oh, Maisie," she sobbed, "it was your crack--cracker. I--I took it from
+your table. Do forgive me--I've been so--so very miserable."
+
+And their mother, rising gently and saying nothing, quickly took the
+proofs of wrong-doing away, whilst Hilda felt Maisie's arm creep round
+her neck and Maisie's kisses on her wet cheek....
+
+And in her repentance her fault was forgiven.
+
+Two months later, Hilda found amongst the presents on her birthday table
+a lovely cracker made of silver paper with a little heart of real gold
+attached with a blue ribbon on the outside. And then Hilda ran and
+whispered eagerly in her mother's ear, who looked very pleased and
+kissed her. And Maisie was surprised and happy too, for Hilda put in her
+hand the lovely cracker with its little heart of gold for her very own
+to keep.
+
+
+
+
+LITTLE STARRY
+
+
+"I should like to go shooting, and see what the earth is like," sighed a
+young star. But the Evening Star knew that meant many dangers, for down
+there life was not so happy or serene as up in their lofty sphere. And
+she knew, too, that he would go his own way as youth always does; and
+she felt sorry, for she did not like to part with this bright little
+star. And so he went. That fine crisp night the tiny star was seen to
+shoot right down to earth--and the light of his presence was no longer
+there.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+A hard frost was on the ground. The shops were shut, for it was Boxing
+Day. Those who were not on enjoyment bent were snugly quartered by their
+own fireside, with the firm conviction that nothing would tempt them
+away. Some, however, had business to attend to in spite of its being a
+holiday, and old Joshua was one of these. He was known as "old" Joshua
+because his hair had turned prematurely white--as white as the rime
+which had gathered on his shabby hat as he hurried along the murky,
+dimly lighted street which led to the great theatre. The wind that
+entered so unceremoniously through his thin coat was biting cold--the
+violin he carried was more carefully muffled up than he.
+
+"One, two, three," he counted, as a neighbouring clock began chiming;
+"four, five, six!"
+
+He quickened his pace. He had to be in his place in the orchestra in
+extra good time, as it was the first night of the new pantomime. And
+before that, he had some one coming to meet him at the back entrance.
+
+"I shall be there all in good time," he muttered. "By Jupiter!" he
+exclaimed, as he tripped and nearly fell over something that was lying
+straight in his path. Only when he stooped down did he discover that on
+the pavement lay a small child, all cold to the touch, with fair curls
+dishevelled, and eyes wide open that seemed to see nothing.
+
+Old Joshua's heart filled with pity and indignation. "What a shame," he
+muttered, "to abandon such a treasure as this! And no one about who can
+help me." He looked anxiously around--no one was in sight; so he
+hurriedly went in search of a policeman. When he had succeeded in
+finding one, and the two reached the spot together, a crowd had
+collected and was gazing wonderingly at the tiny, prostrate form.
+
+"Stand back there!" commanded the man of law.
+
+The clock chimed the quarter-hour. Old Joshua felt the cold no more--he
+was in a nervous heat at the delay; nevertheless, he waited till a cab
+was hailed. Then the policeman tenderly lifted the helpless little
+creature into it, and the driver wrapped his rug around it. "To the
+'orspital!" directed the policeman, stepping inside, and the vehicle was
+driven smartly away. The crowd dispersed, and with it old Joshua, as
+quickly as he could hurry through the throng.
+
+At the stage door he found his little Stella awaiting him with sparkling
+eyes, in anticipation of her annual treat.
+
+"Daddy, you're late," she said, holding up a finger in mock gravity;
+then she clapped her hands with delight at his arrival.
+
+Old Joshua would not distress her with the cause of his delay, so he
+only stooped and kissed her. "Give me your hand, old lady," he said,
+"and come along quickly. Through this door--that's right. Up you go.
+Don't step on my poor toes or push against me when we turn the corner
+more than you can help, or old Daddy Joshua and his fiddle might be a
+little out of tune!" And, laughing as they went, they climbed right up
+to the top back row of the vast empty theatre. There a smiling
+attendant welcomed her as quite an old little friend, and when he had
+seen his daughter raised up on a seat by means of a big hassock, old
+Joshua, with a nod of thanks, hastened below to join his comrades of the
+orchestra, and help create the squeaky din which they called "tuning
+up."
+
+At last the lights were turned up. An eager troop of pleasure-seekers
+tumbled into the gallery in a rush, and while Stella was looking around
+her every available seat was quickly occupied. The other parts of the
+house were filling rapidly in more dignified style, and soon every place
+was tenanted in honour of the great Christmas pantomime. The large
+orchestra struck up, and when the overture was over the gorgeously
+painted curtain slowly rose.
+
+Stella, perched up aloft, forgot where she was, and everything else in
+the world went straight out of her head as she gazed with rapture at the
+lovely scene that was peopled with fairies, and goblins, and wonderful
+beings, disporting themselves in a land that was all glitter and gold.
+And so the hours flew by, in a wonder of loveliness, fairy story, and
+fun.
+
+"'Ave a bit o' orange, dearie?" asked the stout woman who was sitting
+next to her. But Stella was too engrossed to think about oranges or
+neighbours, nor even did she feel the light nudge that followed. The
+woman merely turned to her husband, smiled, and held her peace; while
+Stella threw back her head and shook with laughter, as the Clown tickled
+Pantaloon with a poker that looked extremely red hot. She wasn't a bit
+tired, and was quite surprised to hear "God Save the King," and to find
+the whole beautiful show was already over, like a dream. It had seemed
+to her as though it must go on for ever.
+
+Flushed and excited, and a good deal jostled by the moving crowd, she
+made her way to the staircase in order to meet the motherly attendant on
+the next landing, who had promised to take her to her father at the
+stage door. Stella was walking down carefully step by step, when two
+young men came roughly tearing past her. A sudden push threw her off her
+balance. She knew she screamed because she heard it. Then she knew and
+heard nothing more.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Great fun was going forward in the biggest ward in the Children's
+Hospital. Father Christmas had suddenly appeared amidst much cheering
+and clapping of hands. Not only were the little inmates, the nurses, and
+young doctors beaming with smiles, but Father Christmas himself felt the
+glow of jollity as he busily handed the toys he carried to his two
+attendant clowns. These nimble, funny fellows ran from him to the cots,
+backwards and forwards, giving such beautiful toys, and saying such
+funny things as they gave them, that every child was soon laughing and
+happy, even those with a bandaged head or limb, or a pain inside or
+outside; and the unwonted excitement brought a flush to their pale
+cheeks and brightness to their eyes.
+
+But none of the jollification was seen by the new little inmate of the
+cot that was in the far corner. A tiny blind boy lay there, with pretty,
+fair curls, and large dark eyes that he turned pathetically around. He
+had not spoken at all. Earlier in the evening he had shivered much, and
+groaned. Now he lay peacefully smiling, for his small hands held a
+musical-box that Father Christmas himself had placed there, and set
+working, and the tinkle-tinkle of a pretty tune seemed to please and
+soothe him.
+
+When the Christmas visitors had gone away, and the dolls had been hushed
+to sleep by their new mothers, and the woolly animals lay hugged tightly
+in the arms of drowsy owners, a little girl in a swoon from an accident
+was carried into the ward. The sprained ankle had been dressed; quietly
+and quickly she was put to bed, and consciousness soon returned.
+
+"Where am I?" said Stella, staring about her.
+
+"You fell down, dear," replied Nurse Evelyn, "and we are taking care of
+you until you are fetched home. You'll soon be all right again. Does
+your ankle hurt much? Don't move it."
+
+"It feels funny," replied Stella, "but doesn't hurt now it is
+still--thank you very much," she added, staring about her in amazement
+at the strange faces, the holly in the strange surroundings, at the
+nurses in their pretty costumes with their white caps and aprons, and at
+the sleeping children clutching their toys. In the cot next to hers,
+however, the little fair-haired boy looked awake. His eyes in their
+aimless wandering were now fixed on the high window through which the
+stars were twinkling at him, and the Evening Star looked fixedly down
+upon him. His hands lay listlessly on the polished wooden box. The music
+had changed, and in his ear it sang of "Angels ever bright and fair."
+
+Stella, who was watching him with so much interest, asked who he was.
+
+"He is a little foundling," said Nurse Evelyn. "He was abandoned in the
+cold streets."
+
+Stella turned her head on the pillow towards him again, and asked
+timidly--
+
+"Are you better?"
+
+"Talk to him to-morrow, dear," advised Nurse Evelyn.
+
+As she gazed at him Stella thought she had never seen so beautiful a
+child. She stretched out her arm and took his tiny palm in hers; then he
+turned his face towards her and smiled, contentedly and trustingly
+leaving his hand in hers. And thus with love and pity in her heart she
+fell fast asleep.
+
+And in the night she saw a wonderful thing--a moonbeam that seemed to
+come down into the room--the small hand in hers unloosed itself, and the
+boy arose looking gloriously beautiful; his eyes were shining, and he
+could see the bright light, and he began climbing up the beam, so easily
+that it looked like gliding, so happily now that he could see his way
+and whither it was leading him.
+
+The next morning Stella's first thought was of the lovely vision, and of
+her little companion. She turned over and looked with surprise. The cot
+in the corner was empty--so very empty, and tidy with its smoothed fresh
+sheets.
+
+"Oh, where's he gone?" she exclaimed.
+
+Nurse hurried to her side. "Who, dear?"
+
+"There--from the empty cot."
+
+The Nurse looked sweet and grave. "He has gone where he came from,
+dear."
+
+"And where did he come from?" asked Stella, with a curious sense of
+loneliness.
+
+"Where all children come from."
+
+Of course, Stella knew that all children are Heaven-born, and come from
+the stars. Why, her own name meant a star. And, of course, she also knew
+that every one who was good some day went back again to Heaven.
+
+"Oh," she cried, in a hushed voice, "has he gone back there?"
+
+"Yes, dear," replied Nurse Evelyn gently. "Now, don't think of him any
+more. Here's a pretty book with pictures."
+
+But Stella did think of him, a great deal more. The little golden-haired
+boy occupied her thoughts more than any one ever knew. And that night,
+and many other nights, when she looked upwards at the vast sky, so
+mysterious and serene with its millions of stars, she would wonder and
+ponder. And there was always one particular little star that she loved
+best, and when she looked upon it a sweetness would steal into her
+heart, and she would think of the gentle boy with the angel face, who
+had gone back to Heaven--for she felt quite sure that he was there
+amongst them, and that he could see her, and that, perhaps, he loved
+her.
+
+And all to herself she called him Little Starry--and she remembered him
+always.
+
+
+
+
+CEDRIC'S UNACCOUNTABLE ADVENTURE
+
+PART I
+
+
+Cedric was flying his kite in a flowery meadow close to his home in
+Cornwall. It was a favourite spot of his, for he was a boy who loved
+beautiful scenery, and from there he could get a glimpse of Land's End,
+with its great rocks around which the waves frothed and gambolled,
+broke, and gurgled away.
+
+The day was grey and windy, just the sort of day for flying a kite. This
+kite was of the old-fashioned sort, with a tail of his own making, and
+as it soared away higher and higher, with the tail wriggling its great
+length like a happy eel on a holiday, his heart was full of pride and
+content.
+
+He kept on unwinding and unwinding the large ball of string until he
+began to wonder if his kite would still be in view by the time he had
+unwound it all. The wind was increasing in strength, when, to his
+astonishment, and apparently for no reason at all, the pull on his arm
+suddenly relaxed, and the kite all at once dropped quickly to earth,
+tail first. Cedric darted forward to where it lay, some distance ahead.
+When he reached it, he flung himself alongside to examine it carefully.
+He could find no rent, no damage; nothing was wrong. There was nothing,
+apparently, to account for such peculiar behaviour in his hitherto
+well-conducted kite.
+
+As he passed his hand over it where it lay, he felt underneath it,
+entangled in the tail, something hard. He could see it glistening
+through. He quickly drew it forth, and found in his hand--a golden key.
+
+"Halloa! what's this?" exclaimed Cedric, as he knelt down and turned his
+discovery over and over. "A yellow key. However did it get there?" was
+his next thought. He continued to ask himself the riddle, but finding no
+answer he gave it up, and carefully examined the key. There was no mark
+on it--it wouldn't even whistle when he tried it. "Some one must have
+lost it, I suppose," he went on, and concluded: "Well, it's no use to
+me!" and he threw it away. Seating himself on the grass, he soon became
+absorbed in getting his kite all trim again, and had temporarily secured
+the string to a bush, when his attention was attracted by the key, which
+lay and glistened as if it knew it was glistening.
+
+Cedric didn't care to trouble with it, but instinctively he picked it
+up, and said--
+
+"I wonder where this key belongs to?"
+
+At that moment his view of the Land's End became slowly obscured by a
+huge iron door, the lock of which was outlined with gold. He tried the
+key he held. _It fitted!_ A turn, the heavy door was unlocked, and he
+put the key in his pocket. He turned the handle, pushed the door open
+just enough to squeeze through, and it swung to behind him.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+There had been a great commotion in Fairyland. The gnomes--who formed
+the Opposition Party--had turned disloyal and wanted a republic;
+whereupon the King, hurt in his dignity, insisted upon abdicating. In
+fact, he was tired of power, and glad of the excuse to resign. In spite
+of the prayers and entreaties of those who desired him to remain in
+office he returned to the Treasury the Golden Key, together with the
+crown and other royal jewels, and, to the concern of every one who
+wasn't a gnome, went forth to play skittles--his sole interest and only
+hobby.
+
+Of all the regalia, the most precious object was the Golden Key, for
+whoever held it was made King of Fairyland by virtue of its possession;
+and it was ordained that it could only be parted with at the monarch's
+free will. It could be surrendered; it could not be withdrawn.
+
+So the old King deposited it in the Treasury, leaving his people--the
+faithful and unfaithful alike--to fight out the matter as best they
+could. In so doing they fought their very best. The quarrel between the
+gnomes and the fairies waxed furious in their patriotic eagerness to get
+their own way. But while blows were exchanged and relations were
+otherwise strained, and the Monarchists, generally speaking, were highly
+annoyed, and the Republicans were even more perturbed, the latter
+suddenly lay low, and hatched an audacious plot. So daring was it that
+it made their grotesque and stunted little bodies tremble as they
+thought of it, and their gnarled feet shook in their shoes.
+
+This plot involved nothing less than the theft of the Golden Key. The
+symbol of royalty was to be taken to the mountain top and flung far away
+outside the boundaries of Fairydom, and a republic proclaimed and
+acclaimed. A monarchy could no longer be possible.
+
+Meanwhile the guileless fairies, recking nothing of this, and rejoicing
+in what they thought to be the discomfiture of their adversaries, chose
+the popular Crown Princess for the succession, and began with much pomp
+and circumstance the ceremony of investing her with the Golden Key.
+They had proceeded up to a certain point when, to their horror and
+amazement, on opening the treasure chamber to bear the symbol in solemn
+procession upon a velvet cushion, as the law demanded, they discovered
+that _the Golden Key was gone_!
+
+[Illustration: _Lay low, and hatched an audacious plot_]
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Cedric suddenly guessed that he possessed the key to Fairyland. For he
+found himself in a sun-bathed valley with clouds of rainbow hues in the
+azure sky above. In the distance he beheld a rippling lake of golden
+water, on the borders of which stood a palace made of gems gathered from
+the circling mountains which stood as sentinels around the valley. Down
+these mountains meandered little golden rills that fed the lake. Nothing
+stirred but gaily coloured birds, which fluttered amongst the blossoming
+fruit trees and the rich and dainty flowers.
+
+All around the lake, as though from nowhere, sprang crowds of fairies,
+gnomes, pixies, and sprites; they were landing from the tiny
+flower-decked craft, forming processions, hurrying in and out of the
+palace--presenting to Cedric's astonished gaze a scene of wonderful
+animation and pretty bustle. Great preparations were apparently
+proceeding.
+
+After a time they gathered together in waiting crowds, which stretched
+a long distance on either side of the approach to the shimmering
+edifice, and the words came to him with curious distinctness--
+
+"Hail! Cedric, King of Fairyland!"
+
+"K-K-King of Fairyland!" stammered the boy in bewilderment. "Am I King
+of Fairyland? You're only making fun--I've only been flying my kite: I
+can't be a king."
+
+"Of course your young Majesty has got the key?" remarked a funny little
+old man at his elbow.
+
+"Yes," replied Cedric, starting at the suddenness of the answer to his
+question, but vastly surprised, and amused too, at the quaint way in
+which he was addressed.
+
+"Very well, then. Of course we all know you must have found it, or you
+couldn't be here. I'd far rather you had it than I; experience has
+taught me that much. Good morning, young gentleman; may it bring you
+more pleasure than it brought me," and with a chuckle the little old man
+bowed himself away.
+
+Cedric had no time to think, for a gorgeous equipage stopped just in
+front of him. The door flew open; the boy, guessing what was expected of
+him, quickly stepped inside, and, wondering at this grandeur, the new
+King of Fairyland was borne swiftly through the serried ranks of his
+bowing subjects to the doors of his magnificent palace. Soldiers
+presented arms, a national air was played on lutes and harps, and Cedric
+passed through the gates, followed by as many of the populace as had
+tickets of admission to witness the most wonderful coronation you never
+saw.
+
+[Illustration: "_Of course your young Majesty has got the key?_"]
+
+
+PART II
+
+In the throne-room, on a throne of diamonds, Cedric sat in royal robes,
+and on his head was a golden crown, which had been taken, as being about
+his size, from the dome of the Crown Palace. Grouped near him were the
+aristocracy of Fairyland--prominent among them the Crown Princess, and
+her great friend and neighbour, the Queen of Gossamerland, both young,
+both beautiful, and both unmarried.
+
+When the ceremony was over, and the shout, "Hail! Cedric, King of
+Fairyland!" echoed once more, the boy, prompted by the Lord High
+Chamberlain, rose and bowed his delighted acknowledgments, while the
+crowds outside cheered for all they were worth. He kept standing, in
+order to receive the general homage, with the quiet confidence of one
+who had been used to that sort of thing every day of his life.
+
+Little did he guess that the populace of Fairyland, who were acclaiming
+him, down to the tiniest sprite, were far from pleased to have a mortal
+on their throne--that the gnomes were plotting, _with_ the fairies this
+time, to depose him, for the key had come back to their land, and was
+never likely to be stolen again. They had all put their heads together
+how to make Cedric part with it of his own free will, according to law,
+and they knew they had to accomplish their end by their wits, as no
+other means held good. It was their desire now to elect their ruler by
+putting the matter to the country to vote, and thus please both parties.
+The gnomes, who had had time to consider it, were dumbfounded at their
+stupidity in having thrown the key into Mortal-land, and they regretted
+it when it was too late.
+
+A fair lady, wearing a tiny crown, stepped forward and curtsied low
+before her monarch. It was the Crown Princess. Cedric wanted to detain
+her; but it wasn't etiquette, and she smiled to herself as she swept
+past with her maids of honour. She was followed by her dark friend, who
+kissed Cedric's hand. Her face was more beautiful than any he had ever
+beheld. In obedience to his wish that she should speak to him, the
+little Queen of Gossamerland smiled and said--
+
+"Sire, I have often heard of mortals, but never saw one before. It is
+said that some of them never dream of coming to our country, that others
+often do, but they never come really, you know. Your Majesty is the
+very first. Will you graciously tell me how it feels?"
+
+Cedric laughed, and coughed nervously, and replied that "it felt very
+pleasant and comfor'ble."
+
+She turned her head as she withdrew, and whispered anxiously--
+
+"_Do not part with the Golden Key_, as you value your throne."
+
+The words, and still more the impressive and forceful manner, of the
+dazzling little Queen puzzled him. He determined, nevertheless, to
+follow advice so fatefully given, but he couldn't help pondering over
+it; and his face was graver as he bowed to the lords and ladies and
+high-born gnomes who had the honour of introduction.
+
+Escorted by the whole of the brilliant company, King Cedric left his
+palace in order formally "to do some good deed"--which was a part of the
+ancient ceremonial. He was to open a new institution for fairies who had
+lost their arts and crafts and livelihoods too. When they arrived at the
+building it was announced that the key which was to have been presented
+to him was not forthcoming. Consternation, real or assumed--(_Cedric_
+didn't believe in it)--followed on the strange declaration of those who
+were responsible for the carelessness. Amid profuse apologies, the Lord
+High Chamberlain begged the King that he would use the Golden
+Key--which, being a master key, could of course take the place of any
+other.
+
+Acting on the advice given him, and alive to the evident importance of
+retaining the key (which was also the key to his position), Cedric
+politely and graciously refused: at which there was considerable
+sensation. Arguments and persuasion were in vain, but at last he yielded
+to the entreaties of those needy fairies who badly wanted their
+institution. Himself he inserted the key, which was found to fit, as was
+to be expected. But when he wanted to withdraw it, it had stuck, and was
+immovable--the lock had been carefully arranged that it should be so.
+Triumph and amusement were on every face except his.
+
+"I have been betrayed," muttered Cedric, and he wondered what on
+Fairyland he should do next. There was silence--a breathless
+interval--during which the boy never relaxed hold on his treasured
+possession.
+
+"Cut away the lock!" he commanded. At this order the people murmured
+loudly, but soon fell into silence; for they were bound by their
+constitution to obey their monarch. In a few moments the Golden Key was
+again safe in Cedric's pocket, and mistrust was in his heart, as it has
+been in that of nearly every king who ever reigned.
+
+The coronation ceremony was over, and the company had dispersed, so
+Cedric found himself at liberty to saunter forth. He hadn't proceeded
+more than a few yards in the brilliant landscape when a Rabbit--renowned
+for his white gloves--bounded up to him and humbly begged it might be
+his Majesty's pleasure to receive some famous members of Animal
+Fairyland who were anxious to render homage. Cedric replied royally with
+a dignified nod, and followed the creature as it led the way to a
+clearing in a forest close by. Here, explained the Rabbit, the animals
+were allowed full liberty to say what they pleased--but beyond the
+boundaries they were only able to make strange noises which their own
+families alone could understand: it was thus that the secrets of
+Fairyland were kept from the world outside.
+
+Upon a throne made from a cutting of the famous beanstalk grown for the
+original Jack King Cedric seated himself, and awaited events.
+
+He hadn't long to wait, for a Fox trotted up and bade him welcome to
+Animal Fairyland. Wonderfully tactful for his age, Cedric told the Fox
+that he recognised him, having read about him in Grimm's tales, and
+remarked--
+
+"You were so good, Mr. Fox, to the poor horse!"
+
+At which the Fox sniggered shyly and withdrew. This pleasing
+reminiscence gave unbounded satisfaction to the various animals that had
+quickly gathered around.
+
+Cedric's inquiry of the Wolf as to his digestion after that little
+flirtation with Red Riding Hood's grandmother was also considered
+prodigiously appropriate, and was greeted with cordial appreciation. His
+quick recognition, too, of the Three Bears added greatly to his
+popularity, but he wasn't so happy in his remark to a stately Swan who
+came up and bowed.
+
+"You're glad to have got rid of those ducks, I s'pose?" he observed.
+
+"And pray, sire, where did you hear about that? It's a chapter of my
+early history I hoped had never got about!"
+
+"Oh, I have read all about the Ugly Duckling!" replied Cedric, persuaded
+that the information would fill the Swan with pride.
+
+"Why, you don't mean to say--! Do you--do you tell me that--" screamed
+the Swan furiously, almost choked with indignation, and it could not
+finish its sentences. Then in a quieter, but still in an angry, voice,
+it continued: "To think of it! Why, I plumed myself on its having been
+kept out of print! So that family scandal has got round after all!" And
+in defiance of all etiquette, the swan turned tail and waddled off.
+
+"The audience is over!" cried Cedric indignantly.
+
+Whereupon the deputation hastily withdrew.
+
+"Guide, sire?" inquired a gnome, suddenly presenting himself and going
+down on one knee. "Guide to the fairy ring?"
+
+"Yes, please," and he followed him to where a number of peacocks stood
+on guard with their tails magnificently spread.
+
+"Have you twopence?" asked the guide anxiously.
+
+"I'm not sure," answered Cedric, fumbling in his pocket.
+
+"If not, I'm afraid you can't be let in, sire." The gnome was looking
+afraid that the king might not fall, after all, into the little trap he
+was preparing.
+
+"Not let me in? Can't I order myself through?"
+
+"No 'paper' allowed! You can only be let in by paying the entrance fee."
+
+"I never heard of a king paying twopence to go in anywhere," said
+Cedric, drawing himself up. He was not unreasonable, he felt, but he was
+a little hurt in his dignity as sovereign.
+
+"I'm afraid your Majesty can't go against the Office of Works."
+
+"S'pose I ordered the peacocks to be removed," said Cedric, growing hot
+at the undignified position of a monarch unable to produce the price of
+a Bath bun; "s'pose I ordered their necks to be wrung, or something?"
+
+"It would be deplorably irregular and excessively unconstitutional."
+
+Cedric was taken at a disadvantage by the length of the words; but a
+lucky discovery relieved him.
+
+"Here, I've got four ha'pennies. But I call it mean that I, of all
+people, shouldn't be allowed in free."
+
+"It's simply to show the person is well off, and to keep the place
+select--it's the same for all. In the case of royalty the amount is
+returned in cash at the end of the performance."
+
+Cedric entered alone, and found the fairy ring far beyond anything he
+could have dreamed of. Thousands of little fairies, wearing cunning
+arrangements of petals from the fruit blossoms, had joined hands and
+were dancing round joyously, raising tiny clouds of yellow dust, which
+enveloped them as with a golden mist. As he came in sight they burst
+into song, and manoeuvring cleverly until he was in their midst, they
+showed what they could do in grace of movement and harmony of sound,
+till, quite enchanted, he felt he could remain there for ever.
+
+"Go on! go on!" he shouted, clapping his hands with delight, for the
+little crew had come to a standstill.
+
+A pixie detached himself, and kneeling, begged his Majesty to give him
+the Golden Key.
+
+"What for?" asked Cedric, surprised.
+
+"To wind up the proceedings," came the reply of the fairies, who had
+eagerly drawn near.
+
+"Can't," said Cedric.
+
+"_Do!_" said the prettiest of the fairies in chorus.
+
+Hardly knowing what he was about, so much did he want to see the
+entrancing dance all over again, he held out the key to the applicant;
+but, noticing a peculiar gleam dart from the pixie's eyes, he quickly
+snatched it back again and replaced it in his pocket, and coming to
+himself found that the peacocks were once more between him and the fairy
+ring; that twopence was in his hand, and there was no one at all about.
+Then he realised how narrow his escape had been. "Uneasy lies the head
+that wears a crown." Cedric knew that Shakespeare had written that; but
+he had never expected to learn the truth of it from experience.
+
+He lay on the grass, and pondered what he had better do in the trying
+political situation. "What's the use of being King of Fairyland if I
+have to be plotted against every hour of the day?" muttered Cedric
+disconsolately.
+
+"No use at all."
+
+They were the soft tones of the little Queen of Gossamerland. She sat
+down next to him and put her tiny hand on his arm.
+
+"What's to be done, then?"
+
+"It's very simple," she rejoined. "Give me the Golden Key. You'll be
+king no longer, but you'll have no responsibilities or anxieties."
+
+"That won't be much fun for me," replied Cedric. "Besides, what will you
+do with it?"
+
+"The right thing. I'll give it to the Crown Princess, the rightful heir.
+That will save the country a general election, and fairy tranquillity
+will reign once more."
+
+"Why did you warn me not to part with it? And now you ask me for it!"
+
+"I wanted to get it myself as soon as you would give it up, so that I
+might deliver it to my dear friend, who will become a queen like me.
+Then she can choose her husband; and, after being her bridesmaid, I
+suppose I shall be married too."
+
+"Will you marry me?" asked Cedric bluntly.
+
+"Why, you'd have to live on honey!" replied the Gossamer Queen, with a
+smile, half sweet, half malicious. Cedric turned it over in his mind,
+but not for long.
+
+"Give me the key," she begged coaxingly.
+
+"Yes--but," argued the boy, "it's worth a lot, you know: I wouldn't so
+much mind swopping it; but----"
+
+The Queen of Gossamerland, tired of wasting time, put out her hand so
+prettily, and pursed up her lips so sweetly and daintily, that he _did_
+give her the Golden Key, and she gave a kiss as a receipt. Then she said
+that the Office of Works would send for the crown, and flitted away.
+
+Cedric prepared to remove his crown, with a sigh to think he had no
+longer any right to it, but first he ran to the stream that slowly
+floated by, and took a good look at himself. He smiled with pride. "I
+must say," he remarked confidentially to himself, "I really do look
+every inch a king! But, after all, I couldn't go to school with this
+on--the fellows would be sure to notice it." He started at the bare
+idea, and laid down the crown with a feeling of "good riddance" as
+profound and grateful as ever King James II. could have experienced. He
+felt no other pang than that of dignity too quickly swept away.
+
+He placed it on the grass, confident that the Gossamer Queen would send
+for it at once, and he began to think of his own return. "Now to find
+that door!" he exclaimed, and looked about him to ask the way. The
+golden lake, the glittering palace, the sentry of mountains--all were
+there; but no living being was in sight.
+
+"Queer place, _I_ call it," said Cedric to himself. "No cake shops, only
+honey, and no policemen to tell the way." He wandered on in the hope of
+coming sooner or later, somehow and somewhere, to the door.
+
+After a time he met the funny little old man who had accosted him on his
+arrival. He was gazing hard at the boy, looking right through him as
+though he were not there.
+
+"Will you kindly show me the door?" said Cedric eagerly.
+
+"Turn you out, do you mean?" asked ex-King the First.
+
+"I want to turn myself out, if I can," replied Cedric.
+
+"Already? Good morning, young gentleman, ex-King the Second. There's a
+pair of us."
+
+"Please show me the door."
+
+"When is a door not a-jar?" asked the out-o'-work sovereign.
+
+"Don't ask me riddles. Show me the door!" ordered Cedric in his best
+royal-command manner, and looked so threatening that the little old man
+quickly pointed over his shoulder.
+
+Cedric walked off in that direction without a word, and to his joy he
+discovered the door just a little way in front of him.
+
+"Thank goodness!" he exclaimed, as he ran up to it--and then he suddenly
+realised that he no longer possessed the Golden Key with which to open
+it. How was he to escape? He turned and looked back at what now was
+an immeasurable distance--so very far away did it seem--and there was
+once more bustling activity about the palace. Another Coronation
+ceremony was beginning all over again.
+
+[Illustration: "_I really do look every inch a king!_"]
+
+The boy flung himself against the door, and banged and kicked at it with
+all his might. It was of no use.
+
+"Oh, the key, the key!" he cried. "If they would only spare it from
+their silly triumphing for a moment, and let me out!"
+
+He put his eye to the keyhole, and with longing gaze he saw his kite on
+the spot he had left it, with its lazy tail gently stirred by the
+breeze.
+
+Once more he looked back, despairing of help; the same animated fairy
+scene met his gaze--all so indifferent to his helplessness. Grasping the
+handle of the door in his hand he shook it in desperation.
+
+Then he remembered. He quietly turned the handle, and walked out!
+
+The sea breeze blew freshly as Cedric freed his kite from the bush, and
+when he looked back there was Land's End just as he had seen it before.
+"And Fairyland's end, too," he muttered; for all trace of the iron door
+had disappeared after he passed through. He stared in astonishment, and
+couldn't make it out; and the adventure remained a mystery all the days
+of his life.
+
+
+
+
+ROSELLA
+
+
+"Rosella!"
+
+"Yes, Mother?" And a dark-eyed little girl looked down over the
+banisters into the hall.
+
+"I want you to get ready quickly and go to the Moat House, and persuade
+Grandfather to come back with you this afternoon instead of waiting
+until the evening."
+
+"But if he invites me to tea with him?"
+
+"Don't stay, dearie. I want you back before dusk, and it gets dark so
+soon now; and you must help me to tie the crackers on the
+Christmas-tree. It's still sunny, so make haste."
+
+In a few minutes the child was tripping downstairs, smart and cosy in
+her red coat, hat, and muff, with all the importance of her nine years.
+
+"Go the shortest way--you know; keep to the path across the moor,"
+continued her mother, "or you might fall over bits of rock under the
+snow."
+
+"Do you know, Mother, I always wonder, when there's snow, where all the
+grass is and what's underneath? All killed by the freeze?"
+
+"Oh no. The snow keeps everything nice and warm," replied her mother
+with a kiss.
+
+Davis, the portly butler, advanced and opened the front door.
+
+"Being _above_ the snow doesn't keep _me_ nice and warm, Mother," called
+back Rosella as she ran laughing down the steps into the icy north wind,
+which blew her dark hair out to its full length and heightened the warm
+colour in her cheeks.
+
+"Make haste, and you'll be there in half-an-hour." Mrs. Silverton
+returned to her boudoir, and standing at the bow-window followed with
+loving eyes the graceful little red figure, until at a bend in the road
+it turned, gaily waved a farewell, and was lost to sight.
+
+When Rosella reached the moor the high wind was against her, blowing her
+frock between her knees and making her eyes water. "This way will be
+very difficult and unpleasant," she thought to herself. "I'd far rather
+go round by the hill, and then, too, I could see if Grandfather has got
+the Snow Castle on the top finished and ready for to-morrow--I forgot
+about that when Mother said to go across the moor. I should so like to
+see it--I wonder if I might!"
+
+She stood irresolute for a moment, then left the straight path and
+started running, in order to save time, in the other direction: thus
+making for the hill which she intended to climb.
+
+The sun became obscured, and what was worse, down from the leaden yellow
+sky tiny snowflakes began to flutter as though in play, rapidly
+increasing in size and volume until, as if by magic, Rosella found
+herself enveloped in a blinding snowstorm that obscured the landscape,
+and decided her to return home. But returning home was not so easy as
+turning herself round, and she soon had the growing conviction that no
+matter which way she turned she was lost, utterly lost: for all that she
+could see was that she no longer seemed to be dressed in red, but was
+thickly coated in white.
+
+Twice she tripped over the uneven ground, but she stumbled along
+hopefully and bravely, and even tried to sing, only the snowflakes got
+into her mouth and made her shut it up tight.
+
+Rosella had no idea where she was, and she felt very tired. How she
+wished now she had gone straight forward! There would have been no
+difficulty about that. By good luck she came close up to a large piece
+of overhanging rock; she did not remember ever seeing it before, so she
+was more than ever confused as to the whereabouts of the hill or of
+anything; but it was good for shelter. She placed her muff in a niche
+above her head, and sat down to rest awhile and consider what she had
+best do.
+
+The wind howled around her only partially sheltered retreat, and
+myriads of snowflakes, drifting in, fell softly about her, creeping
+closer and closer, covering her boots, lying thickly on her frock, on
+her shoulders, drifting, too, into her eyes and making them blink, and
+powdering her hair with white. And she felt too cold to think--too cold
+to move.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+After a while Rosella exclaimed: "This won't do. I must get up from
+here. It's such a dreadfully cold place!" And she determined to try and
+go on, if only to keep herself warm. So she shook herself, took down her
+muff, and went forth.
+
+It was snowing as much as ever, but Rosella found that the ground was no
+longer flat. She was on the hillside, and as she climbed she wondered
+anxiously how she should know which side to come down, once she was on
+the top, in order to find the Moat House. Then she smiled as it occurred
+to her how much she must now look like the tiny, red-hooded, toy figure
+in the glass paper weight at home which showed itself enveloped in a
+miniature snowstorm when it was shaken. She plodded on higher and
+higher.
+
+The weather was clearing when Rosella stood on the summit of the hill,
+and she was lost in admiration as she gazed at the largest, grandest
+Snow Castle she could never have imagined. Before it, too, stood a Snow
+Man splendidly proportioned and set up. To her intense astonishment, as
+she timidly approached he bowed politely.
+
+Rosella curtsied instinctively, then laughed as she went round to see
+where he had broken. But he wasn't broken at all, for he turned too,
+faced her, and said--
+
+"I need hardly introduce myself, Rosella. I presume you recognise King
+Frost when you meet him in any guise. You wished to see my Castle--and
+gave yourself a polite invitation. You are welcome!"
+
+She was so taken aback with the suddenness of all this that she could
+find no words for reply. So she made another, much lower, curtsey, which
+she knew to be correct in the presence of Royalty, then she took his
+proffered arm. And the tall white figure and the little white figure
+mounted the white steps, went through the massive gateway, and proceeded
+down a long, narrow passage lighted with a ruddy glow from the high
+windows, which were glazed with something red, transparent, and
+glistening. It was much warmer here, and Rosella noticed that the snow
+had melted from her clothes, and that her companion also appeared to be
+dressed in red. His white face with its white beard and white hair wore
+quite a jovial air, and on top of it was set a crown of carved ice that
+reminded her of their chandelier in the drawing-room.
+
+He did the honours by offering her some snow broth, which she declined.
+Then she thought she ought to say something, so she remarked, with a
+touch of family pride--
+
+"I had no idea that Grandfather had built such a fine place as this."
+
+"_I_ think the credit is entirely mine," protested her companion with an
+amused chuckle. "_I_ provide the material, you see, or there would have
+been no 'fine place' at all. See my point?"
+
+"Yes, your Majesty," she assented, for she knew it wasn't polite to
+argue--especially with a royal personage.
+
+"This way!" he exclaimed, and led her down another passage on the right,
+and halted to push open a swing door of ice a little way, and genially
+patted her on the cheek--which was kindly meant no doubt, but his touch
+nipped her with cold so that she shivered.
+
+"I shall be on guard outside. If you want me, call me!" Almost as soon
+as she heard the words the heavy door swung to behind her, and she found
+herself alone in a great, white, glistening hall with high arches open
+to the air. Evidently it was scarcely snowing now, for only little
+isolated flakes came fluttering in. But in their falling they changed
+into little shadowy girls and boys in white, who danced playfully around
+her, and their cold white draperies swept lightly about her face,
+reminding her of the blinding snowstorm she had passed through. But she
+only wanted to get away to her grandfather now.
+
+Rosella sheltered her face with her muff and ran the gauntlet of the
+persistent little snowflakes. In a corner she espied a spiral staircase
+which seemed to lead up into one of the battlemented towers she had
+noticed outside, and she imagined it a way of escape, so up she ran. The
+steps were very slippery, but she got up to the top, where, through a
+narrow loophole, she saw King Frost down below, standing there just as
+she first saw him when she thought him only a Snow Man. More anxious
+than ever to know how to get to her grandfather, she called out--
+
+"Your Majesty!" and repeated loudly the two words over and over again,
+for he either would not or could not hear her. And what was very
+curious, there was an echo which called back "Rosella! Rosella!" in the
+same anxious tone.
+
+Talking was clearly of no use; she must do something. So she tried to
+squeeze her muff through the aperture in order to drop it on his head
+and attract his attention--but it would not go through. It stuck there
+and closed out her view. Try as she would she could not release it; and
+with a gulp in her throat she realised she would have to leave it. Her
+hands grew terribly cold without it, and it was too draughty to remain
+there.
+
+From the landing on which she stood steps led up higher, so she
+proceeded to explore, and found herself in an octagonal turret chamber.
+"I suppose it serves me right, and I _am_ lost, _and_ there's no one to
+help me!" sighed Rosella.
+
+"Oh yes there is!"
+
+"Whose voice is that?" she asked. She could see no one--but at the same
+moment a sunbeam pierced through an aperture, pointed straight at what
+appeared to be a lift behind a slender column, and then faded away. It
+_was_ a lift, made of ice and snow, as was everything else in the
+Castle. Rosella entered it and took a seat. The lift at once began
+gently and slowly to go down, down, first into the foundations of the
+Castle, and then into the interior of the hill right down under the
+snow, till it stopped in a Grotto lined with cobwebs and suffused with a
+mysterious green light. There was a soft, singing sound, as though made
+by the wind. In front was a frozen lake, and the ice of it was green
+from the same strange light.
+
+"I must try and find my way to Grandfather," said Rosella vaguely as
+she wandered about the Grotto, looking about her for a way out.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Mrs. Silverton kept glancing anxiously at the clock and at the
+snowstorm. Davis entered. "Madam," said he, with an usually solemn face,
+"Mr. Silverton has telephoned again from the Moat House that Miss
+Rosella hasn't arrived."
+
+"Then she must have lost her way!" exclaimed her mother, now thoroughly
+alarmed. "Though I don't see how she could, keeping straight across the
+moor to the Moat House gate at the end of the path. We must set out,
+Davis, and find her."
+
+"Difficult this weather, Madam, if our young lady is lost on the moor."
+
+"Is it still so bad?"
+
+"The storm's not so thick as it was. I'll go immediately. There's no
+time to be lost, to my thinking, Madam."
+
+"Yes, we'll go at once, Davis."
+
+Mrs. Silverton, pale with anxiety, sent other messengers in various
+directions, and then started off herself. On the moor she met another
+search party headed by old Mr. Silverton and his faithful collie dog.
+And the moor rang with anxious cries of "Rosella! Rosella!" uttered by
+whitened shadowy figures that looked like phantoms in the falling snow.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"I _must_ try and find my way to Grandfather," repeated Rosella
+falteringly, realising that she didn't know in the least how to proceed.
+She never had a notion that a Snow Castle was so intricate inside, with
+a hall, a lift, a grotto, and things; indeed, she had always imagined
+for no particular reason that it had no inside at all; "but of course,"
+she now argued, "if it has an outside it _must_ have an inside, or it
+wouldn't be an outside." But it was much more startling when she looked
+up and found that she was by no means alone: the cobwebs were all
+inhabited. Inhabited--not by ugly spiders, but by the wee-est little
+baby-fairies with the wee-est gossamer wings, swaying in their cobweb
+hammocks in all attitudes, fast asleep, soothed by the lullaby hummed by
+the wind.
+
+"This must be where they are bred!" cried Rosella, in an ecstasy of
+admiration and delight.
+
+"This is Fairy Spring's nursery," explained a beautiful Sprite,
+appearing suddenly at her elbow like a little bright sunbeam. "King
+Frost is the ground landlord, you know, and allows all her young things
+to sleep here and keep warm."
+
+"And who are you, please?" inquired the Sprite's young visitor.
+
+"I am Love of Goodwill, and my father's name is Christmas."
+
+"I know you by name quite well, and am so glad to see you. Perhaps you
+would kindly help me to find my way?"
+
+"If you keep on going to the right, when you see the snowdrops' mother,
+there you will find your landmark."
+
+"Oh, do please tell me more clearly. What did you say? Tell me where
+I"--but Rosella was again alone in the green grotto with the sleeping
+baby-fairies in their swaying hammocks, and the soft music of the wind.
+"Surely there can't be any grown-up snowdrops at Christmas--it's too
+early!--and I shall be losing my way for weeks!" continued Rosella.
+Nevertheless, she kept on turning to the right through upward passages
+first of rock, then of sand, in which were embedded deep growing roots,
+then of soil with its minerals, broken up leaves, and corpses of insects
+which she didn't like at all; then through a passage lined with true red
+soil, where little grubs were lying fast asleep in their nests.
+
+"You ugly grubby little things!" remarked Rosella as she passed them.
+
+"They are only lying low at present. They will be lovely Painted Ladies
+and visit the court of Fairy Spring," replied Love of Goodwill, hovering
+again at her side. "And look! There are the baby snowdrops asleep in
+their earthy cots. They, too, will awake soon and get up. I helped their
+mother to get up as she was in such a hurry to see the world. I'm
+afraid she will have got nipped by King Frost for her impatience.
+Farewell--I must go and see what is happening."
+
+Rosella followed the sunbeam--into which the Sprite had vanished--and at
+once felt the keen air blowing on her face, and knew she was above
+ground once more. Everything was all white again. She sat down upon a
+piece of rock to rest, and noticed the sunbeam pointing straight at a
+little woe-begone snowdrop sticking up out of the snow before her. And
+to her joy the Snow Man was close by calling "Rosella! Rosella!" in the
+echo's anxious tone she had heard before--so he must have wanted her
+then, badly.
+
+"Yes, your Majesty!" she murmured.
+
+He bent over her kindly. "There, little lady," he continued, "drink some
+of this now!" and something cold yet stinging was poured gently down her
+throat.
+
+"Thank you, your Majesty. I did feel tired and queer, but your snow
+broth has made me all right." She said it quite gratefully. Then her
+eyes opened wide and she cried in amazement--
+
+"Grandfather! Why it's _you_! You were the Snow Man all the time! And
+look! there's my muff up there that I left in the wall!"
+
+"But for that sticking up we might never have found our little
+treasure," replied old Mr. Silverton. He picked her up and, holding her
+aloft, showed her to her anxious mother, who came hurrying on the scene.
+
+"Don't shiver so, dearie," exclaimed Mrs. Silverton, passionately
+embracing the child, as hot tears dropped on her daughter's face. "You
+must be perished with cold, but this nice sunshine which has come out
+now will do you good."
+
+"I didn't feel cold. It was quite nice and warm under the snow as you
+said, Mother--and so wonderful!"
+
+Davis carried her home in triumph at the head of the procession; and
+after precautionary remedies had been taken, Rosella sat cosily tucked
+up in the big arm-chair in front of the huge log fire, thinking over all
+she had seen. Of course she confessed to her temptation to go astray,
+and was readily forgiven. Then, as Mr. Silverton insisted he had never
+in his life been any one else but himself, Rosella gaily recounted her
+meeting with the Snow Man at his Snow Castle. "And King Frost said,
+Grandfather," concluded Rosella, "that the credit of the Castle was his
+for providing the snow and not yours."
+
+"Bless my soul!" cried old Mr. Silverton. "And he was right there,
+because I've had nothing to do with any Snow Castle or any Snow
+Man--there was some talk, but nothing came of it."
+
+"But I was King Frost's visitor there, don't you see," insisted Rosella,
+smiling. "So I know that's only one of your jokes, Grandfather."
+
+He smiled too and wiped his spectacles.
+
+The next morning Rosella volunteered to fetch her grandfather and
+introduce him to King Frost. So the two climbed the hill. But no vestige
+of Snow Castle or Snow Man was there.
+
+"There, you see!" said her grandfather, laughing, as he genially patted
+her on the cheek. How cold his hand felt! It nipped her with cold, so
+that she shivered. Yet the weather had changed, and it was more like a
+sunny day in spring than in midwinter.
+
+She left old Mr. Silverton at his gate, and he assured her with a kiss
+that he wasn't a bit disappointed at the wonderful disappearance, but
+that it was all certainly a very remarkable affair indeed.
+
+Rosella thought so too. Then she turned and walked thoughtfully home.
+
+
+
+
+THE CUCKOO THAT LIVED IN THE CLOCK-HOUSE
+
+
+It was rather a ramshackle, badly-built wooden house, in which the
+Cuckoo lived. Outside it looked smart enough, but inside, repairs were
+badly needed. It had been handed down from father to son, and over the
+front door, which was at the top of the house, stood a beautifully
+carved statue of their ancestor, Sir Cuckoo de Cuckoo.
+
+The Clock-House was situated not far from the Dolls' House, backed by a
+flowery wall in a small department of Nursery Land ruled over by Robert
+and Lucy. Lucy was ground landlady of the Clock-House, and it was her
+daily privilege to wind up its affairs.
+
+No one ever knocked at the Cuckoo's front door, because it had no
+number; there was a round dozen of numbers in the immediate
+neighbourhood. The pendulum, whose tongue never ceased to wag once it
+was wound up, remarked, that two firm hands were required to keep things
+in order. As to the chains, they regularly got weighed down under the
+strain of responsibility, and a heavy weight it was.
+
+So, as one could not summon the Cuckoo at will, the only thing to do was
+to wait and see it when it chose to appear, and then--as likely as not,
+if nobody was about--Robert would seize the opportunity to take
+pot-shots at it with his pea-shooter. So far he had invariably missed.
+Sometimes it kept an appointment with him punctually at the hour,
+sometimes it didn't. Occasionally, it came out at odd times, and then
+remained indoors altogether. When that happened for a more than usually
+long period, it was sure to be because the poor Cuckoo felt indisposed
+in its bellows; and when it became apparent that something had gone
+wrong with the inmate of the Clock-House, an entrance had to be effected
+by the back door and a dose of oil administered. Whereupon the front
+door would fly open and the Cuckoo appear again on the threshold--it
+never ventured further--bow to the multitude, or to empty space, and
+pipe "Cuc--koo!" just as many times as it felt inclined at the moment.
+
+One fine afternoon in spring, when the Cuckoo came out punctually, and
+went through its performance of three bows with a Cuckoo call after each
+salutation, there happened to be a fresh inmate all alone in the
+nursery. This was Tabiatha, the new kitten, cosily reposing in her new
+basket under the table. "Aha! Poultry!" mewed Tabiatha, lying low,
+opening a lazy but watchful eye, and gazing upwards. "Bless my tail!
+You're a tender morsel, I'll be bound--small, but a tit-bit!" So thought
+the kitten, with an increasing feeling of longing in the chest. It had
+sounded to Tabiatha like an echo of the call she had heard so recently
+in the lane near the old farm at home.
+
+"I don't want to pop out any more!" said the Cuckoo after re-entering
+the Clock-House. "I'm bored to tears!" And it settled down in a corner
+and looked very melancholy. "What with that horrid boy, Robert, lurking
+about--and now a kitten of all things! Why, life's not worth the living!
+If ever I do pop out again, I should like to pop out for good and
+all--stretch my wings and fly away, right away, and see something of the
+world!"
+
+"Work! That's the cure for all woes!" solemnly ticked the pendulum.
+"Look at me, I'm always at it, with a good swinging stride." The hands
+didn't explain their views--they were keeping far apart, and were not on
+speaking terms. "Every one is expected to do his duty," urged the
+pendulum.
+
+"That was only meant for one day--not morning, noon, and night," argued
+the Cuckoo. "It's all very well for a wagtail like you--but for a Cuckoo
+with a soul above it--especially with a fine, well-trained voice!"
+
+"Every one must do his duty at all times. Yes, look at me--but I fear
+you can't see me. Do you follow me?" asked the pendulum jokingly.
+Getting no reply, it ticked-tacked on, until the Cuckoo felt quite
+distracted.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Listen to me, children," said their mother, entering the nursery, when
+playtime had begun; "Nurse has gone to lie down. She isn't very well
+this afternoon. So at four o'clock put everything away neatly; then make
+yourselves tidy, and come downstairs, where you may have tea with me."
+
+Robert and Lucy said they were sorry for Nurse, but they smiled, and
+hopped about with delight at the treat of tea downstairs. They promised
+to do as they were told, and with muffled footsteps hurried on the
+landing to open the gate and let their mother out of their domain, and
+quietly closed it to keep themselves in. Then they settled down in the
+nursery to "Loto;" but as Lucy always won, Robert tired of it. Card
+houses didn't answer either, because it amused Robert not to build them,
+but to shake the table when Lucy's structures were in course of
+erection.
+
+Their mother, busily writing in the drawing-room, began to wonder why
+the children didn't come downstairs; and tea was just being brought in,
+when suddenly screams and cries were heard issuing from the nursery, and
+she rushed upstairs in alarm.
+
+There she found the nursery littered with things, chairs in unusual
+places, some overturned, and Lucy lying on the floor crying, with a cut
+on her lip, which was bleeding. Robert had both stockings torn, and was
+ruefully rubbing his knees. The little girl was more frightened than
+hurt.
+
+"Whatever has happened, Robert?" exclaimed their mother as she helped
+Lucy to her feet, and comforted her.
+
+"I was hunting," he began to explain, "and she was the gazelle, and I
+was chasing her from rock to rock----"
+
+"Jumping from the table on to the chairs and back again," added Lucy in
+further explanation, "and we both tumbled down!"
+
+"Serve you both right for being so disobedient as to jump on the
+furniture," replied their mother, with placid satisfaction that matters
+were no worse. "You ought to have been all tidied up, and downstairs by
+now."
+
+"It isn't time yet, surely, Mother!" The three turned instinctively
+towards the Cuckoo clock. It had stopped at three minutes to four.
+
+"There now, Lucy, you silly!" cried her brother; "if you hadn't
+forgotten to wind it up, we shouldn't have had that beastly tumble, and
+shouldn't have been late for tea."
+
+"Come, dears, quickly, and I'll help make you ready," said their mother;
+and they left the nursery together.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+During the excitement Tabiatha had remained unnoticed in her basket
+under the table, glad in all the turmoil to be peaceful and forgotten.
+She came out, stretched herself lazily, and soon began to gambol about
+the room. The clock chain, lying loosely on the ground, attracted her
+attention. She crouched, then leapt at one bound upon it, backed a
+little, touched it with her paw, lay on her side, and played with the
+bright links with all four paws and much enjoyment. With a sudden
+movement she righted herself--made a spring upwards, missed the chain
+and fell without hurt. Liking this novel game, she leapt higher next
+time, and alighted on a cushioned chair, scratched her way up, jumped on
+to a bookcase, and then on to an empty shelf. There was the chain within
+easy reach. Putting out her paw, it caught instead in a ring she hadn't
+noticed. To disentangle it she reached over, lost her foothold, and,
+still caught in the ring, found that the rattling chain was moving
+downwards with her weight until it deposited her gently on the ground,
+greatly to her surprise. Again she scrambled up the furniture in the
+same way. Her paw was now on both chains. Suddenly something swung
+backwards and forwards--
+
+Tic--tac!
+
+Tabiatha was for the moment dismayed, and, arching her back, she stood
+rooted to the spot.
+
+Tic--tac!
+
+It came unpleasantly close to her, nearly touching her nose each time,
+but she never budged an inch. Whr-r-r-r-r!
+
+Cuc--koo! Cuc--koo! Cuc--koo! Cuc----
+
+Tabiatha, rising to the occasion, and quick to seize an opportunity or
+anything else, took her last and only chance. She seized the poultry
+with both paws--Crack! Snap! She lost her balance and fell down, down,
+on to the cushioned chair. The Cuckoo flew into the air, alighted on
+Tabiatha's back, and bounded on to the ground. Tabiatha forgot at once
+her escape from breaking her neck, sprang after the Cuckoo lying there,
+turned it over, paused, sniffed, found to her surprise that it was not
+good to eat, that it hadn't even feathers, and was only made of wood,
+turned it over again, and began tapping it and pouncing on it until,
+suddenly forgetting all about it, she cantered away sideways with her
+tail curling in the air. She jumped into her basket, rolled herself up,
+soon purred herself fast asleep, and looked the very picture of helpless
+innocence.
+
+The Cuckoo, out in the world at last, having recovered from its first
+alarm at the useless stiffness of its wings, waited for something to
+happen. As nothing did happen, it thought the world a very dull and
+stupid place, and concluded that, after all, work was better than lying
+there helpless, idle, motionless, and ridiculous. What was the use of
+its trained voice now? It couldn't articulate a sound even to summon
+help. It had no idea of the time, but the sun was shining brightly when
+at last it found itself carefully lifted and placed on a higher level.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+When Lucy entered the nursery that morning, soon after Robert, he
+exclaimed--
+
+"I say, Lucy! There's something fresh for breakfast. Look on your
+plate!"
+
+"Oh, my poor Cuckoo!" she cried in distress. "You've shot it at last.
+You bad boy--I shan't love you ever any more!"
+
+But she did love him at once again, for it was a fact that no one knew
+how ever the Cuckoo came to be lying on the floor in the remote corner
+where Nurse had picked it up. The cushioned chair was in its place
+again--a long way off the clock. Every one was mystified, and could not
+imagine how it had happened. But Tabiatha knew all about it, though you
+would never have guessed it from her round, innocent eyes as she sat
+licking first one velvety paw, and then the other velvety paw, as though
+she were washing them of any share in the mischief.
+
+When the Clock-House was spring-cleaned, and the Cuckoo duly set there
+on its legs again, it formed the firm determination to remain at its
+post in the future, and, with its Clock-House in order, it worked ever
+after with regularity and good humour just like one o'clock.
+
+"Cuc--koo!" Bow, click.
+
+
+
+
+CHRISTMAS AT THE COURT OF KING JORUM
+
+
+The great evening had come, and every one in Cosmopolis Castle was agog
+with excitement. Eight months before, the Monarch had by Royal Herald
+Extraordinary announced his intention of making known his decision on
+Christmas Eve. And Christmas Eve had come. No wonder every one was agog
+with excitement, because King Jorum was at last going to announce which
+of the lovely ladies of the Court should be raised to the position of
+the late Queen, his defunct consort. She, poor soul, had possessed
+neither charm nor beauty, and without her he had been quite happy for
+the past two years, surrounded by smiling faces and kept constantly
+amused by the ladies and gentlemen of his Court.
+
+He had a jovial nature, and was an indulgent father to his two young
+daughters, especially fond of the younger, Princess Veronica, for more
+delightful sweetness, prettiness, and lovableness it would be difficult
+to find in any other young damsel of sixteen years old. So believed that
+fine young soldier, Prince Olivin; and so believed every one else in
+the whole kingdom. Every one else, with one exception--Princess
+Christobel, her sister, older by one year. She had her own ideas on the
+subject evidently, for she kept a surly silence when her sister's
+praises were sung. People said it was her jealousy, because she was
+plain-looking, and sulky in expression and character; and some did say
+she was secretly in love with Prince Olivin herself.
+
+Outside the castle this night the silent landscape had been decorated,
+by order of King Frost, in snow and crystal. Inside the castle the great
+halls had been decorated, by order of King Jorum, in holly and
+mistletoe. In the antechamber to the ball-room stood the giant
+Christmas-tree, hung with so many gifts of exquisite needlework from the
+ladies of the Court for the King, and so many, too, for Princess
+Veronica, that there was hardly room for any other presents for any one
+else, so they had to be stacked up in separate heaps on the floor.
+
+There was one present on the tree, which was handsomer and costlier than
+all the rest--it was a pair of woollen boots so cunningly and
+dexterously wrought with precious jewels that they were the most
+beautiful ever seen or heard of. They were the handiwork of Countess
+Spinx, and of all the handsome ladies who were assembled in the
+ball-room where the candles in the chandeliers cast a softening light
+on their charms, she seemed this Christmas Eve the most unnerved, the
+most excited. Courtiers came strolling in by twos and threes, and the
+scene became animated and gay.
+
+For as history shows, it was the custom at the Court of King Jorum, by
+special decree of the Monarch, that every man, woman, and child should
+dress themselves in costumes of any distinctive style they
+liked--whatever suited their fancy best. (That was the origin, ages
+after, of the term--fancy-dress.) There was thus no slavish following of
+fashion, and consequently every one looked, or fancied they looked,
+their very, very best, and were thoroughly at ease in their quaint and,
+mostly, fascinating attire.
+
+"Here's Little Love!" exclaimed a bevy of fair dames, pressing forward
+as a handsome child stepped into their midst, dressed as Cupid, and
+looking the realest of little Loves from the tips of his tiny bare toes
+to the tips of his tiny bare wings. He was the King's godson and pet.
+
+"He's sure to know! Perhaps he can give us a hint of the news!"
+exclaimed Countess Spinx with eyes blazing eagerly as she placed herself
+in his path, with her crook firmly planted on the ground: she was
+dressed as a shepherdess, which showed to advantage the curls on her
+fair neck, and her small feet in their high-heeled shoes. "Whisper to
+me!" she coaxed; "or," with a pretty shake of the crook, "I'll not let
+you pass!"
+
+Little Love might have been deaf, looking neither to the right nor to
+the left, so unconcernedly did he continue his way stolidly on to meet
+the procession of the King.
+
+Countess Spinx bit her lip in vexation; the other ladies merely shrugged
+their shoulders and laughed; and the gentlemen stroked their mouths to
+hide their smiles. Then all conversation was smothered by the entry of
+the heralds with their raised silver trumpets and their--
+
+    _Par_--parraparpar--_pip_--ha!
+    _Par_--parraparpar--_paar_--_r_!
+
+This was immediately followed by the entry of King Jorum holding Little
+Love by the hand. The whole company bowed and curtsied very low--and
+then stood at attention, breathless with expectation.
+
+King Jorum was a very big man, with a very big smile, and very big
+woollen boots. He always wore woollen boots because, being his own
+Commander-in-chief, he liked to stand at ease. So he said, naturally in
+a very big voice--
+
+"According to my promise it is now my pleasure to announce to my Court
+here assembled my decision with regard to your future Queen. After
+prolonged thought and study of face and character I have come to the
+conclusion that there is not one lady of my Court but who is quite
+lovely enough and charming enough to become my royal consort. Therefore
+to choose is difficult--so difficult that it is impossible, and, being
+impossible, I shall never wed again. I have spoken."
+
+[Illustration: _Looking neither to the right nor to the left_]
+
+For a moment there was intense silence. Then deafening cheers arose, and
+all faces were radiant with delight, especially the faces of the ladies,
+who thus remained equals, no jealousy being possible. "Such tact!" said
+one. "How true!" cried another. But one lady had slipped away
+unobserved. It was Countess Spinx.
+
+The gallant Monarch, unaccompanied, pleased at the reception given to
+his declaration, smilingly passed on to the antechamber, as was his
+wont, for a private view of the Christmas-tree before the revels
+commenced. King Jorum had detached one of the woollen boots embroidered
+with pearls and precious stones, anxiously tried it on, and was admiring
+the effect, when Little Love appeared and inquired if he would grant an
+interview to Prince Olivin, who was waiting without.
+
+"I am engaged," was his Majesty's impatient reply.
+
+"That, Sire, is what Prince Olivin wants to be!"
+
+"Eh, what's that? Put on this other boot for me"--he unfastened it from
+the tree. "Ha! that's very smart. Very attentive of the dear Countess.
+Now show him in!"
+
+The two young Princesses had not made their appearance for the
+proclamation. They, as well as Little Love, had been in the King's
+confidence, and they did not intend to be present. However, as the hour
+of the revels was fast approaching, Veronica feared that her sister
+would be late as usual, so she took her last glance at herself in the
+mirror, tightened the blue ribbon that was threaded through her fair
+hair, tucked a pale rose in the blue sash of her high-waisted, white
+muslin frock, and flitted off happily to Christobel's room.
+
+"Come in!" said a not very amiable voice in response to the light tap.
+"Oh, it's you, is it?"
+
+"Can I help you, as you have no maid?"
+
+Princess Christobel's room was by no means tidy. "I don't want any
+help," she replied ungraciously, moving some of the garments that
+littered the bed, "but you can sit down there, if you like, next to the
+'Shah of Persia.'"
+
+Veronica took the place indicated next to the sweetest little blue
+Persian kitten that was curled up fast asleep on the coverlet.
+
+"I like your new frock, Veronica," continued Christobel, surveying her
+sister as she pinned up her black hair without troubling even to do it
+before a glass; "but you look pretty in anything. If you didn't, no one
+would trouble to pet you. No one ever fusses over me."
+
+"Papa does, for one."
+
+"Only because he thinks it's his duty."
+
+"I would if you'd let me."
+
+"Oh yes. You'd be very pleased if I'd let you hang about me--an ugly
+girl can't show to much advantage next to a pretty one. I know your
+little game."
+
+"Oh, Christobel! How can you say such unkind, unjust things?" protested
+poor Veronica with a sob.
+
+"If you want to cry," said Christobel crossly, "you shouldn't do so
+until you go to sleep. You cry so easily; and then your bright eyes look
+heavy, and your aquiline nose gets red, and the whole Castle gets upset
+about them. Who cares if _my_ eyes are red?"
+
+"Every one, of course. Besides, one's looks aren't everything."
+
+"I know differently. Looks _are_ everything. But I don't care if people
+trouble about me or not, or anything they do, or think, or say!"
+
+"What _are_ you putting on, Christobel? Not _that_, surely!"
+
+"Yes. Same old Red Riding Hood cape and green skirt--does for indoors or
+out. Same old crew about, I suppose?"
+
+"I suppose so. But it's Christmas Eve. Those loose things don't even
+suit you. Let me lend you a new frock which I have, just the same as
+this; we can arrange ribbons of your colour, red. We're the same height,
+and it will suit you quite as well as it suits me."
+
+"A nice comparison people would draw, eh?" sneered Christobel; and being
+ready she took the sleepy Shah in her arms and stalked downstairs with
+him faintly mewing his protests, leaving her sister to follow if she
+liked.
+
+In the ball-room Christobel superciliously took no notice of the
+respectful greetings of the Court. She was naturally shy, reserved too,
+and sensitive as to her appearance and lack of charm. But Veronica had a
+kind word for every one, stopping to greet with a smile or a merry jest
+all present; for they all adored her for her sweetness, graciousness,
+and extraordinary beauty. There wasn't a man but who would have died for
+her, nor a woman but who felt better for her radiant presence. Little
+Love suddenly appeared and whispered something to Princess Veronica, who
+blushed, was confused, and said in a low voice to her sister--
+
+"Prince Olivin is here! Papa has sent for me."
+
+"You might have told me he was coming," replied Christobel, turning
+pale.
+
+"But I never knew, indeed." Her sister had turned away, and Little Love
+was leading Veronica towards the antechamber.
+
+It seemed to Princess Christobel as though every face in the ball-room
+was a mask, and behind that mask were eyes that gleamed with
+mockery--that she had only to turn her back, and fingers of scorn and
+derision would mark her passage--and she turned and fled, never pausing
+in her course through the long passages and up the marble stairway until
+she was back in her room, where she flung the poor Shah and herself on
+the bed and burst into a torrent of tears and lamentations in her
+loneliness, disappointment, and jealousy. The kitten, too, looked
+unusually blue, and mewed disconsolately--felt bored, then purred,
+stretched its little self on the coverlet, and fell asleep again. Before
+long the sound of the heralds' silver trumpets pierced right up into
+Christobel's ears--
+
+    _Par_--parraparpar--_pip_--ha!
+    _Par_--parraparpar--_paar_--_r_!
+
+And she knew that the engagement was then being announced of Princess
+Veronica to Prince Olivin; and the strains of the Waltz of the
+Affianced which followed, played by the Court musicians, confirmed the
+fact.
+
+How long she remained thus in the dark she did not know. Sounds of an
+angry voice roused her from her stupor, and she went out into the
+brilliantly lighted corridor, shading her eyes from the glare, the scent
+of flowers and the soft strains of music becoming more noticeable as she
+approached the stairway whence the voices proceeded--one of which she
+could now distinguish as being that of her sister. She peeped over the
+banisters, and saw, standing close beside Veronica, Countess Spinx,
+white with suppressed passion.
+
+"You knew," hissed the Countess, "that there was to be no Queen."
+
+"I and my sister knew. Yes. Let me pass; I don't know what's become of
+her. I want to fetch her."
+
+"You might have told it to your old friend. You are looking radiantly
+beautiful to-night."
+
+"I am very happy."
+
+"Happy with your betrothed?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Listen! Did you know that every one said _I_ had the best chance of
+being Queen?"
+
+"You!" exclaimed the young Princess in astonishment. "Fancy young you my
+stepmother!" and she burst out into a merry laugh. The next moment she
+was falling headlong down the marble stairway, and then lay quite still,
+bruised and bleeding. In the stillness that ensued--for the music had
+stopped--Countess Spinx flew upstairs, where she was confronted by
+Princess Christobel, who pushed roughly past her and hurried down to her
+sister's side. Her screams for help brought people running from every
+side. The injured girl, still unconscious, was quickly borne to her
+apartments, and the Court physicians surrounded her.
+
+All sorts of rumours were set afloat in the Castle, but all that was
+gathered for certain by the company, as they dispersed, was that
+Princess Veronica slipped on the marble stair owing to her new
+high-heeled shoes--that the sweet face was strapped and bandaged, for it
+was all cut and bruised, that the nose was broken, and her beauty spoilt
+for ever. Prince Olivin was half wild with grief, and poor King Jorum
+was shedding tears all alone in his study when Christobel sought
+admittance. Her face was set and stern, and the sight of his weakness
+didn't unnerve her as she said bluntly--
+
+"Father, Veronica did not slip on the stair--she was purposely and
+viciously thrown down."
+
+"Eh, _what_?" exclaimed the King, staring at her. "Are you taking leave
+of your senses? There's not a soul who would hurt my pretty darling.
+You have enemies. She has none."
+
+"_She_ was happy. Others were not. Countess Spinx was in a fury of
+disappointment at not being chosen Queen. She flung poor Veronica down
+in spite and malice. I saw her do it."
+
+The King bounded up. "Summon the Countess!" he cried.
+
+Before her Christobel repeated her accusation, and Countess Spinx tried
+to assert she only put out her arms to save the unfortunate Princess
+from slipping. Further questioned, she got confused, contradicted
+herself, and finally sunk on her knees and prayed for mercy.
+
+"To the cells!" shouted the King, and his eyes falling on his jewelled
+boots, he hastily tore them off and threw them after her as she was
+carried away.
+
+When, next day, poor little Princess Veronica recovered consciousness
+and was free from pain she asked for her sister, who came quickly to her
+side.
+
+"Have you heard," asked Veronica faintly, "that I--I--I am maimed for
+life? With a broken nose and scarred face I shall not only be ugly but
+repulsive."
+
+"Poor Veronica! You will then be on the same level with me in the
+future. How you will miss all the petting, all the love!"
+
+"I suppose my life is spoilt. And when I had beauty, I thought of it and
+prized it so little. But won't you love me, Christobel?"
+
+"Yes, I will now."
+
+"Why only now?"
+
+"Because I shall always feel sorry for you--I have never felt sorry for
+any one but myself before--and I shall love you heaps and heaps."
+
+"Don't you think others may feel sorry for me, too?--Poor Prince Olivin!
+Poor me!" she added with a little moan.
+
+Christobel shook her head sadly. "Beauty is everything! You will
+understand that now."
+
+No limbs were broken, and in a couple of days Princess Veronica, with
+her head and face veiled in white lace, was able to receive some visits
+of sympathy in her misfortune.
+
+King Jorum was inconsolable, and whenever he came out of the invalid's
+room he would vow terrible threats of vengeance on Countess Spinx, who
+was trembling for her spiteful life in the cells.
+
+On the third night after the Christmas festivities had been brought to
+their sudden and tragic close, Princess Christobel dreamed such a vivid
+dream that it awakened her. She dreamed that Little Love, who avoided
+her whenever he could, came smilingly up to her, kissed her hand, and
+raising a letter he held, showed, with a look of triumph which puzzled
+her, that it was addressed to her sister. She awoke, and instantly
+remembered that Little Love had really kissed her hand that evening, to
+her great surprise. She sat up in bed listening, for she fancied she
+heard her sister call. Becoming anxious for her comfort, she rose, and
+went gently in to her. It was quiet in the dimly lighted chamber. The
+invalid lay softly sleeping, her face all bandaged, and her glorious
+hair a mass of gold about the pillow. Under her hand was an open letter.
+Tempted by the influence of her dream, Christobel drew nearer. It was
+Prince Olivin's firm writing--there were only a few lines, and the
+moonlight shone full upon them. She could not help reading:--
+
+     "Beloved! Think not to release me. It is your sweet nature I
+     love. You. Your beautiful mind. Nothing could ever change them!
+                                                          OLIVIN."
+
+Was it joy for her sister? was it some gleam of an unknown sense of
+peace, tenderness, and hope in her soul, that brought scalding tears to
+Christobel's eyes as, half blinded by them, she groped her way back to
+her room, where she fell on her knees and cried softly, and prayed that,
+now through her tears her eyes had been opened, she might learn to
+become different? "Beauty is _not_ everything, then!" she repeated
+wonderingly to herself over and over again, finding each time fresh
+comfort in the thought. "How wrong I have been! Out of her disfigurement
+Veronica says my love for her has grown, and is worth much to her in
+comfort. It has brought us close together, and made us both happy. How
+grateful she is for every one's attention! And now the Prince still
+pleads for her! So! it was not her beauty that attracted him--it was not
+her beauty--not her beauty!" Thus she thought earnestly and long, and it
+brought her a strange sense of faith in herself and others. "I shall
+tell them all that I, too, know how truly she deserves her happiness!"
+
+And tell them she did, and they opened their eyes and bowed
+respectfully, and thought more of Princess Christobel than they had ever
+thought before.
+
+New Year's Eve came round with its accustomed regularity, and the
+inmates of Cosmopolis Castle were looking unusually grave for the
+occasion. Princess Veronica was to appear once more in their midst, and
+with the bandages removed from her poor face. It was a silent, uneasy
+company that had gathered together in the great ball-room, and King
+Jorum, engaged in a game of "Snap" with Little Love in a corner, looked
+ill and worn from anxiety for his favourite child.
+
+Suddenly the card-players rose, and a thrill of excitement went through
+the assembly--Princess Veronica stood on the threshold in white muslin
+and blue. Her face showed no trace of scars; but her nose! Her nose was
+unrecognisable. It was no more aquiline, but tip-tilted--the sweetest
+little turned-up feature imaginable, and her appearance had actually
+_gained_: Princess Veronica had become the loveliest lady in the land!
+
+After being locked in her father's arms Veronica found herself suddenly
+in those of her lover. King Jorum was frantic with delight. He called
+for Doctor Quick and made him Lord High Druggist of his Majesty's
+dominions, with all the appanages, endowments, privileges, and
+perquisites appertaining to the office. He showered honours on every
+physician on or near the premises. He talked of bonfires, and of
+honours, and tiaras all round, until he was hoarse. Then Princess
+Christobel appeared in white muslin and red ribbons, and there were
+cheers for her animated appearance and her kind expression as she
+gracefully returned their greeting. "Father," she said, drawing him on
+one side, "Veronica is asking for Countess Spinx. May I--may I tell the
+prisoner that now all is well she is forgiven?" King Jorum shook his
+head vigorously, although he was too happy to do anything but smile all
+the time. "She has been in the cells for ever so long," pleaded
+Christobel, and her father was so taken aback at the revelation of her
+fine eyes and sweet voice, which had never at any time struck him
+before, that he nodded his head violently.
+
+That evening a stranger was bidden to the feast--no less a person than
+the great traveller, brother to Prince Olivin, just returned from a
+voyage of discovery--the bronzed and manly young Duke of Rosenleaf. "Who
+is that charming young girl?" he asked, as soon as he set eyes on her.
+
+"Princess Christobel, your Highness," replied Little Love with a sly
+smile.
+
+King Jorum couldn't get to sleep that night. He usually slept too much,
+and was in the habit of unscrewing the top of his foot-warmer and
+pouring therefrom the hot coffee which he imbibed at intervals in order
+not to oversleep himself in the morning and thus set a bad example in
+the land. But he had no need for it to-night. He could not get to sleep
+at all.
+
+He thought, and thought, and thought what had wrought such a marvellous
+and rapid change in the character and appearance of his elder daughter.
+He smiled over it, too, and smiled until his cheeks ached with so much
+smiling, as much as his poor head ached with so much thought. Still he
+went on thinking right through the night, and just as he put up his
+arms above his head to break into a mighty yawn, he suddenly cried--
+
+"I have it! That's it! She has realised the old theme of Peace and
+Goodwill, as is proper at this time of year, and has turned over a new
+leaf! Bravo!" And he turned himself over, snored, and overslept himself.
+
+So the first day of the New Year opened in complete harmony at the Court
+of King Jorum. And when the Duke of Rosenleaf asked Princess Christobel
+if she would make the Happy New Year a happy one for him, she smiled and
+blushingly allowed him to place the prettiest of diamond rings on her
+finger.
+
+And the New Year was still in its youth when the two young Princesses
+were married. And by the time that the Shah of Persia's
+great-great-grand-kittens were gambolling about the palace, it had
+become a frequent and pleasant subject for argument and debate
+throughout the kingdom--"Who is the most charming and lovable woman in
+the land, Christobel or Veronica?"
+
+
+
+
+ONE APRIL DAY
+
+PART I
+
+A QUEER GODMOTHER
+
+
+It was the First of April. The weather could not make up its mind
+whether to be tearful or gay. So, after changing three times, and
+deciding at last that it was not grown-up to cry, the sun dried up the
+tear-drops and beamed down on everything and everybody.
+
+"Isn't it a shame, Wilfrid, to have to prepare lessons when it's such a
+fine afternoon?" exclaimed Norah. She rose from the study table and
+looked longingly out of the French window to where the crocuses on the
+lawn seemed to be having the best of it.
+
+"Don't be lazy," replied her brother. "Just come and help me with this
+sum when I tell you."
+
+"I'm not going to do as you tell me. If you were grown up--say
+fifteen--it would be different; but you're only a year older than
+me--not even nine yet--and yet you----"
+
+"Halloa!" interrupted Wilfrid with a low whistle, as he strolled
+towards the window. "Look at that's legs."
+
+"Which's?" inquired Norah, gazing in the direction he pointed.
+
+"Them's."
+
+"What's?" she asked eagerly, looking around.
+
+"None! Well, you _are_ an April fool!" exclaimed Wilfrid with scornful
+glee as he resumed his seat; "that's the second time to-day!"
+
+"And you're a very rude boy, and you're not allowed to call me horrid
+names like that," said Norah with dignity; "and I won't be teased
+always."
+
+With a very offended look, she set to work on her copy-book.
+
+"Lend me your paint-box when we've finished our lessons, will you, Norah
+dear?" said Wilfrid, after a short pause.
+
+"I can't," she replied, without looking up.
+
+"Why?"
+
+"I don't know why, but I can't."
+
+"Cat in the manger! You've got nothing you want to paint, as I have."
+
+There was a longer pause, during which they both scribbled away, and
+scratched, and spluttered, whilst their tongues moved silently from side
+to side outside their parted lips, left to right, following the
+direction of each new line.
+
+Then Norah heaved a sigh and remarked--
+
+"Wilfrid, isn't Cinderella lovely?"
+
+"Yes, as girls go."
+
+"Oh, how I wish we lived in those times, when there were fairy
+godmothers and things!" exclaimed Norah rapturously; then she added with
+a sigh--
+
+"Aunt Leonora is my godmother, but she never gives me anything, and the
+godmothers in the fairy stories always give heaps of things."
+
+"You can't expect great fat podges like that to be like fairy
+godmothers, you silly!"
+
+"But she ought to like giving things. How nice it is to give presents
+and be thanked!"
+
+"Yes; it's nice to give presents--when they are cheap. Perhaps,"
+continued her brother in a wise voice,--"perhaps Aunt Leonora can't
+afford it if she isn't rich!"
+
+"Cinderella's godmother never seemed to consider the price of anything.
+I wish--oh, how I wish----"
+
+"Oh, how I wish you'd be quiet and help me with this sum. You remember
+your tables better than I do, but you needn't be jolly cocky about it
+all the same."
+
+Norah wasn't listening to him. Her mind was far away from lessons. She
+was thinking, if she had her choice, what she would like to be, what she
+would like to do, and eat, and, above all, what she would like to wear.
+"If only I had a fairy godmother, I----"
+
+"Rubbish!" exclaimed Wilfrid, growing cross, and frowning as he watched
+her moving restlessly about the room.
+
+"I--of course, I wouldn't refuse her anything. Fairy godmothers
+generally appear at first disguised as old women, and ask for something,
+such as a drink of water, or beg you to carry a load of wood or whatever
+they happen to have in hand. So I should be ready to do anything and
+give anything, and earn my big reward."
+
+"Oh, shurrup!" growled her brother. "Much better lend me your
+paint-box."
+
+But she didn't hear him; taken up with her fancies she continued
+excitedly--
+
+"I know what I'll do. I'll try and tempt her to come. Perhaps I may even
+have a fairy godmother without knowing it!"
+
+And she began to dance about, singing--
+
+    "Tra-la-la, fairy godmother,
+    Come to me now, I pray;
+    Visit a little girl who is longing for you
+    And will do anything you want.
+    Tra-la-la, fairy godmother, come."
+
+It wasn't very good poetry, but Norah hadn't time to polish it up.
+
+"Oh, I say! How can I do my lessons with all this going on?" exclaimed
+Wilfrid. And flinging his things together he bounced out of the room and
+banged the door behind him.
+
+Norah wasn't sorry he was gone, and danced once more all round the room
+singing; then knelt down, and, stretching out her arms towards the
+crocuses which were so stiff and upright in their indifference, she said
+plaintively--
+
+"Come, dear fairy godmother, I want you!"
+
+And lo! between Norah and the window there suddenly appeared a little
+old woman in a long cloak, whose features were hidden by the large hood
+she wore.
+
+"Oh!" exclaimed Norah, almost breathless in her astonishment and
+delight.
+
+"I have come," said the stranger in cracked, quavering tones.
+
+"I'm so glad to see you," replied Norah politely, too excited to feel
+shy.
+
+"I--your fairy godmother--am here to test you and see if you are really
+worthy. See this slate which I have brought under my cloak. Every little
+lady should be able to do arithmetic right. Can you do this sum?"
+
+"How funny, godmother dear!" said Norah, looking at it. "We are just
+learning these. It's a difficult one, but I'll try."
+
+In a few moments she had done the sum and proved it correct.
+
+"Very good," said the fairy, with a grunt of satisfaction.
+
+"Will you take a drink of water?" now asked the hospitable Norah
+eagerly. "Do."
+
+"No, thank you. But I may take something else. Tell me, what of all your
+treasures do you like most?"
+
+"Oh, my paint-box!"
+
+"I knew it; I am glad you tell the truth."
+
+"How did you know it?" asked Norah in surprise.
+
+"I am your fairy godmother. I'll take that paint-box, please."
+
+Norah brought it and gave it to her with the greatest pleasure, and
+pressingly inquired if she might carry anything anywhere. But that was
+not required. Then she stood waiting expectantly. And her heart seemed
+to turn a somersault of delight when her fairy godmother spoke the
+following words:--
+
+"I am satisfied. Now you may wish for whatever you like. But you must
+make up your mind before I count three."
+
+Norah's eyes had followed her glance at the clock, which pointed to one
+minute to three; but her mind, from the flutter of excitement she was
+in, became a complete blank.
+
+"One!" said the fairy solemnly.
+
+This brought the little goddaughter to her senses, and she began to
+mutter confusedly--
+
+"Shall I wish for a gold carriage, like Cinderella's, or a pet lamb,
+with a blue ribbon and a bell round its neck, or a frock embroidered in
+diamonds, or----"
+
+"Two!" said the fairy.
+
+"No," murmured Norah hurriedly. "If I were a queen, I could order those
+things and everything else. I wish"--the clock struck three--"I were
+a----"
+
+"Three!" called out the fairy.
+
+"----a Queen!" screamed Norah, just the second after.
+
+"Too late!" said the fairy. "Farewell!" And she moved towards the door.
+
+Norah's eyes filled with tears. "Please come back!" she pleaded.
+
+"I can't."
+
+"Oh, why can't you?"
+
+"I don't know why, but I can't," replied the little old woman.
+
+This sounded strangely in Norah's ears, and what sounded stranger still
+were the next words she heard uttered; these were simply--
+
+"Thanks, awfully!"
+
+Then Norah exclaimed at once, "That's Wilfrid's voice!" She pushed aside
+the hood. "Why, you're Wilfrid!" she cried, amazed.
+
+"And you're April Billy!" he shouted with glee, throwing off the long
+cloak. "You said you'd do anything and give anything for a reward, and
+now you've had to do so without one!" And, bursting out laughing, he ran
+off with the sum and the paint-box.
+
+Norah sat down on a footstool and burst out crying. She was angry and
+disappointed, and she sobbed bitterly as she thought how she had been
+tricked into doing Wilfrid's horrid sum, how she had been made to give
+away her treasured paint-box which he had envied for months, and, worst
+of all a thousand times, how she had no fairy godmother after all!
+
+
+PART II
+
+THE LITTLE FLOWER GIRL
+
+But Norah was a plucky little girl, and at times a wise little girl.
+And, moreover, she had a sort of feeling that it all served her right
+for being silly, and dissatisfied, and too selfish to lend her
+paint-box. Wilfrid certainly was a tease, but he was really a dear good
+brother, and always lent her his things, and did his best to champion
+her and get her out of a scrape.
+
+Still, she felt she would like to pay him out, all the same--he'd had
+such a lovely time being fairy godmother!
+
+So she decided, like the weather, that it was not grown-up to cry, and
+she dried her eyes. Then all at once she smiled and laughed outright.
+For an idea had come to her, which she proceeded to carry out. She
+certainly began to do some rather queer things.
+
+First of all she took off her shoes and stockings. Then she untied the
+pink ribbon which kept her hair tidy, so that her curls fell in a
+towsled mass about her flushed cheeks. Next she took off her pink
+overall pinafore, which she hid away; and gathering her white frock over
+her head, displayed a short red-and-white striped petticoat.
+
+Running quickly about the room she took all the violets from the vases,
+strewed some of them in the fold of her frock, which she held together
+in one hand, and put together a large bunch of the flowers for her other
+hand.
+
+Then she stepped through the open window, threw some sand upon her feet
+and ankles, and thus prepared, stood on the path outside, looked in, and
+waited.
+
+Very soon Wilfrid burst into the room, exclaiming--
+
+"Come and look at the healthy colour I've painted on your big doll's
+pale cheeks. Oh, Norah!" he added, looking round the empty room.
+
+And now he became conscious of a little flower-girl standing on the
+garden path, and piteously offering him a bunch of violets.
+
+Norah had heard what he had said, and felt vexed that he had dared to
+touch her big doll; still, she had not the affection for that stately
+lady that she had for the small invalid doll with the broken leg, so she
+only said--
+
+"Buy a bunch of violets, sir?"
+
+He was a tender-hearted boy, and at once fetched down his money-box from
+a shelf in the cupboard, unlocked it, and took out twopence which he
+gave her; but then he felt awkward and refused the flowers.
+
+An organ in the street started playing.
+
+"I can dance to that if you can pay," said the little girl thoughtfully,
+eyeing the money-box.
+
+"How much do you want?" he asked.
+
+"Three shillings," she replied boldly.
+
+"That's all I've got."
+
+"That'll do, then," she said; "I want it so badly."
+
+"Yes, but----"
+
+Not heeding his protests, she stole into the room and began to dance to
+the organ, as she had seen the poor children do in the streets, her
+little bare feet twirling up slowly and descending with measured steps
+on to the soft carpet.
+
+"Oh, I say!" soon exclaimed Wilfrid with dissatisfaction; "my sister
+Norah can dance better than that, for nothing!"
+
+Nevertheless, he felt bound to empty his money-box into the hand she now
+held out.
+
+Solemnly she made him a little bob of a curtsey. Then she began to caper
+about the room in a very different sort of spirit. And then, catching
+hold of the astonished boy round the neck, she kissed him.
+
+"Hi! Shurrup!" cried Wilfrid, disengaging himself and looking sheepish.
+
+"Oh, you April goose!" sang Norah; "April goose--you're an April goose,
+Master Wilfrid!" And she uncovered her head and shook back her curls.
+
+"Halloa!" exclaimed Wilfrid, ruefully at first, and then added more
+cheerily--
+
+"Ha! Do you think I didn't know you all the time?"
+
+"Did you really?" inquired his sister, her eyes wide open with surprise.
+
+"No, I didn't," he replied curtly.
+
+Then Norah's arm stole round her brother's neck, and she put the money
+into his pocket, and told him gently that she had only wanted to have a
+little bit of fun, and he was welcome to use her paint-box--only please
+not on her dolls.
+
+Then Wilfrid told her that she was a jolly good sort; and that after
+all it was a shame to tease her, as she couldn't fight him for it. And
+Norah hugged him, and they both laughed about how well they had
+"pretended" to one another.
+
+The sun was shining still, and when the children romped on the lawn the
+stuck-up crocuses didn't have the best of it, after all.
+
+
+
+
+THE STORM THE TEAPOT BREWED
+
+
+In a bright nursery, hung with pictures, the table was laid for tea.
+Upon an iron tray, which had seen much service--even military service,
+as a drum used by the nursery band--stood the tea-set. This set included
+a very large cup which belonged to Nurse, bearing the funny inscription,
+"I am not greedy, but I like a lot." The other cups were also lettered
+in gold. One hailed, it declared, "From Margate," and showed the pier as
+a proof. Another, a small one made of porcelain, wished "Many Happy
+Returns to Effie" every time she looked at it. A thick, fat cup
+proclaimed itself "A Present to Daniel," and a mug bore the perpetual
+reminder that it was "For a Good Boy"--but it was cracked, so it didn't
+look quite happy, perhaps because the reminder was not always capable of
+keeping the boy good.
+
+The Kettle completed the party, but sat comfortably on the warm hob next
+the fire, drowsily singing snatches of song, in the knowledge of having
+done his duty in giving the thirsty Teapot a drink of water. So all was
+ready for tea except the children. Nurse had gone to collect them, when
+the Chinese Teapot, who always liked to appear important, suddenly
+exclaimed--
+
+"What a noise that Kettle is making, to be sure! One could scarcely hear
+one's self rattle if one wanted to."
+
+The Kettle, ignoring the protest, sang on--
+
+    "Just now we were quiet,
+    No noise and no riot,
+    You could hear a bread-plate drop--Flop!"
+
+"We used to have a very nice English teapot once," remarked the
+Porcelain Cup.
+
+"I remember," replied her neighbour from Margate. "He came from
+Worcestershire. He was a big pot, and thought himself no end of a
+swell."
+
+"What! Kettle-time already!" exclaimed the Tongs, yawning and stretching
+his legs.
+
+"A nice sort of life it is for one of my grade and standing," grumbled
+the Teapot, "to be surrounded by such a set of ugly, foreign mugs and
+things as you all are!"
+
+There was a general rattling of displeasure at the insult, but it was
+drowned by the Kettle, who could see a joke, singing up merrily--
+
+    "If there's a fuss--if a Pot should allude
+      As a 'mug' to a China Cup,
+    There's always a clatter
+    Of jug, plate, and platter,
+      Till somebody washes them up."
+
+"It's disgraceful to go on like this!" complained the Milk-jug, looking
+rather broken-down about the handle.
+
+"Ah!" said the Teapot with a sneer, "when one only dates from 1887, and
+hasn't a handle to one's back, one should retire to the seclusion of the
+cupboard, and remain there as a curio."
+
+    "There was once a Jubilee Jug-gins,
+    Jug-jug-juggins,"
+
+hummed the Kettle.
+
+"Poor old crock!" said the Sugar-basin sweetly, melting with pity
+through all her composition. For she was his inseparable companion, and
+knew that the Milk-jug was full of human kindness, and useful still.
+
+"Never mind the quarrelling, darlings," whispered the gentlemanly Spoons
+to their lady friends, whom they had taken in to tea, "we will protect
+you."
+
+"Upon my word!" exclaimed she from Margate, "I'm glad _I_ was not born
+in China. Where I come from rudeness is unknown."
+
+The Kettle took up the idea and sang gaily--
+
+    "They're pottery, porcelain, colour, and gold,
+      They come from the china shop,
+    Where crockery's bought, and the customer's sold,
+    And the Bull galloped in so angry and bold,
+    And when the poor, terrified shopkeeper told
+      Him to go, he did nothing but stop."
+
+"You ought to have a will of iron if you're made of the right stuff,"
+she continued, addressing the Tray; "you ought to keep order, but you
+say nothing and do less."
+
+"You see, he's only a waiter--slow and unpolished," added the Teapot
+spitefully.
+
+"My view, if I may express it--" broke in the Cup from Margate.
+
+"When I want your view, either of Margate or of politeness," retorted
+the Tray, interrupting the remark, "I'll ask for it. If I'd the chance
+I'd drop the whole lot of you, and get friendly with a new set, that I
+would!"
+
+Whereupon the irrepressible Kettle chirruped--
+
+    "Then he'd pay the expense of the mender's bill--
+      The mender is Doctor, you see--
+        Who makes out an order,
+        A matter of sawder
+      And rivets, cement, and a fee."
+
+"You're always brewing mischief!" said Nurse's Cup angrily to the
+Teapot; "there'll be no peace for any of us where you are."
+
+"That's true!" screamed out the little Tea-leaves inside the pot; "he's
+always getting us into hot water."
+
+"I'll draw the tannin out of the whole ounce of you! You're about as
+sensible as mortals who haven't the wit to understand us. But when we
+go cracked like Muggins over there, or stony broke like the Juggins
+next to him, or get smashed up altogether with age or lack of care, they
+take notice of us at last, and then there is a mighty fine fuss."
+
+At this the Kettle, getting somewhat out of breath from his exertions,
+bubbled out in a high key--
+
+    "They're Wedgwood, Staffordshire, Japanese too,
+      They're a breakable lot, we know;
+        When any one cracks any,
+        Chelsea or Saxony,
+      Dresden, or Worcester, or Bow,
+        They make as much shindy
+        As if a big windy
+      Was shivered to bits by a blow."
+
+The Teapot went on: "Those people are amusing, too; they think we ought
+to last for ever, when they can't do it themselves."
+
+"A couple of chatterpots!" exclaimed the Nurse's Cup. "Dear me! What
+with your spouting, and his showing off once he begins to sing, you're
+enough to wear one out!"
+
+"_Dear_ you, indeed!" returned the Teapot; "_cheap_ you! Why, you were
+given away with a pound of tea! Shouldn't be surprised at all!" he
+continued, watching Nurse's Cup become speechless with indignation.
+"But, spouting aside, I could tell you a thing or two."
+
+"Or three--or four--or five--or--" The Kettle might have sung on into
+billions had he not begun to choke over it, and splutter, and gurgle.
+Then he grew vexed, and snorted, and got angrier and angrier, until
+finally, in order to breathe more easily, he knocked his lid on one
+side, and began to boil with rage.
+
+"Ha, ha!" laughed the Teapot mockingly. "The old fellow's getting his
+steam up. Pray don't de-range yourself, sir, on our account. He, he!
+He's getting water on his nob!"
+
+This didn't seem to comfort the Kettle much.
+
+"What do you think about it, Spoonies?" added the Teapot. But the Spoons
+heeded him not. They were conversing quietly in couples, and didn't care
+to be drawn into argument. So he turned his attention elsewhere, bent on
+brewing discord. "People are so thoughtless," he complained, turning a
+cold shoulder to the others. "Muggins, my boy, I'm beginning to get
+quite chilly; just go and fetch my cosy coat." He knew this was an
+impossibility, and he only said it in order to pick a quarrel. But,
+noticing a distant Plate who was openly laughing at him, he cuttingly
+remarked: "Seen the plumber, lately?" Now, the Plate happened to be
+suffering severely from rivets, an infirmity which she vainly tried to
+hide, and which she hated to be noticed. So, getting no reply, he
+added, "I presume that your plumbago is better."
+
+The Kettle was now puffing and spitting to such a degree that it was
+difficult to imagine he was the same jolly fellow who had been singing
+so good-temperedly all the time.
+
+And the Teapot was content. He had gained his object, and the whole set
+felt as though they had been wiped the wrong way, when suddenly noisy
+voices were heard outside.
+
+The nursery door was opened, and in burst Fred, home from Margate
+School, followed by gentle little Effie; and Nurse, vigorously
+protesting at being pushed forward in jerks by Bob. Poor, long-suffering
+Nurse, as usual, was not having at all a good time with the three
+troublesome boys. Daniel had clambered on her back, and was trying to
+pull off her cap. Bob--who was not nearly such "A Good Boy" as his mug
+pretended--slily untied her apron-strings. The apron dropped, and Nurse
+tripped over it, jerking Daniel on to the floor; and she would have
+fallen too had she not just saved herself by clutching the table.
+
+"Cr-cr-crikey!" clattered the China on the tray in alarm.
+
+"Bless those boys!" cried Nurse, as she replaced her apron; but they
+only laughed. Effie was helping to put her cap straight when the
+Kettle, unable to contain his feelings any longer, marked his
+indignation by hissing disapproval and then boiling over. Nurse rushed
+to his aid, and altered his position so that he couldn't see all that
+went on. He recovered himself at once.
+
+Bustling into their chairs, they all sat down to tea, and at the sudden
+action the whole tea-set rattled to arms, some standing at attention.
+The Spoons, stirred by the children's hands, began knocking the sides of
+the Cups, dealing them blows right and left, and ringing out their
+resounding protests.
+
+"Here's a 'stranger'!" exclaimed Effie, taking a tea-leaf out of her
+cup. "Who will it be?"
+
+"A horrid foreigner, miss--a little black Indian," replied the Teapot,
+turning up his spout with scorn, and giving a vicious squeeze to the
+others he held prisoners.
+
+"I know who it is!" said Bob, tilting back his chair, then suddenly
+steadying himself by grasping the table. This was a troublesome habit of
+his, which drew Nurse's usual reminder.
+
+"What's his name?" asked the others eagerly.
+
+"_I_ know--it's a secret," replied Bob mysteriously.
+
+At this a loud argument began.
+
+"My lid! Who's making the noise now?" the Teapot cried. "Pray don't
+upset your precious selves."
+
+"I think it must be Mr. Manners who is the stranger," exclaimed Nurse,
+putting her hands to her ears to shut out the tumult.
+
+"No!" shouted Bob. "I'll tell you--his name's Mr. Tea-leaf!" And he
+laughed triumphantly.
+
+As the other children raised their voices to declare it was very unfair,
+Bob swung back on his chair again.
+
+"Oh!" screamed Nurse in a fright, making a grab at the table. But she
+was too late!
+
+Bob had already made a grab at it when, with a _Swish! Bang!_ he tumbled
+over backwards, dragging the cloth with him, and everything upon it. And
+the crockery lay around, all broken to atoms!
+
+In the moment of hushed alarm that followed, the Tray rolled away,
+exclaiming in triumph: "I've got rid of them at last! I said I would
+when I got the chance!" And the Kettle, gazing at the wreckage, sang on
+serenely and merrily--
+
+    "There's been such a fuss, such a storm has been brewed,
+    There's no cups for the tea, and no plates for the food;
+    The cleverest doctor may puzzle his wits,
+    But he never can gather and rivet the bits!"
+
+
+
+
+MONICA THE MOON CHILD
+
+I
+
+THIS SIDE OF THE MOON
+
+
+It was one of those late afternoons in winter when the countryside looks
+very white, very still, and hushed to sleep under its coverlet of
+snow--just the time when the bright fire at home is thought of with
+delightful longing. The gentleman who drove the phaeton that was bowling
+along the frosty road must have thought so too, for he cracked his whip
+so smartly that it sounded loud in the silent landscape, startling the
+cob to a more hurried remembrance of his snug stable.
+
+"Not very far now, Doctor," he remarked to the friend who sat next to
+him. "Home soon, Toodleums," he added, turning towards a big bundle of
+shawls at the back of the carriage.
+
+"I'm in no hurry, Papa," replied a childish voice; "I call this lovely!"
+
+"Quite warm, eh?"
+
+"Quite, thank you, Papa."
+
+The bundle, answering to the name of Toodleums, was Monica--her father's
+constant companion. She was an only child. Her mother had always been
+delicate, and Monica was not allowed to be much with her. She even
+forgot that the invalid at home was ailing rather more than usual
+to-day, and that their long drive was to fetch her old friend the Doctor
+for his opinion, for she was listening with so much interest to an
+explanation which her father was giving of the new airship he had
+invented. He was still describing his successful trial trip, when Monica
+noticed that the moon and stars seemed to have assembled all at once to
+make a night of it. Never before had she driven out after dark, and soon
+she became all absorbed, in a state of muffled-up rapture, at the
+unusual sights and aspect of mystery about.
+
+"Hi! Toodleums, do you hear? What do you say to going up with me in my
+airship next time I go? Will you come?"
+
+"Yes, yes," she answered eagerly; "I'll come, Papa."
+
+"You're not afraid of bumping up against the moon?" asked the doctor
+playfully, leaning over to pat her cheek. And both gentlemen laughed.
+Monica didn't answer. She didn't know if she was being made fun of or
+not.
+
+At last they were in the hall at home, amidst the lights and bustling of
+the servants. As no one seemed to notice her, Monica took herself up to
+the nursery. She had dressed there near the fire, and the boxes and
+things had not been tidied away. Monica stared around, thinking this
+very unusual, and was just beginning to feel uncomfortably lonely when a
+little wrinkled old woman with very bright eyes hurriedly trotted in.
+
+"Oh, Grandnurse," exclaimed Monica, "no one is looking after me. How's
+Mamma?"
+
+"Much better, Dearie. But I'm wanted downstairs; can you spare me,
+Poppets? Put yourself to bed, and I'll be back directly with your hot
+milk." Without waiting for an answer she bustled into the adjoining
+night nursery, where Monica heard her busily opening and shutting the
+great cupboards.
+
+The cheery old body was called Grandnurse because she had been in the
+family for ever so long--so long as to have become, as it were, a member
+of it. Passing through the nursery again she stopped and said--
+
+"What would my Poppets say to a little sister, I wonder! A tiny new
+baby!"
+
+"Oh, Grandnurse!" And before the old woman could hurry out of the door
+Monica sprang forward, her face all aglow with excitement, and holding
+her tight by the arm cried all in a breath--
+
+"Is it true? Where is it? When's it coming? Who's going to bring it?"
+
+"Patience; I can't wait now. Let me go, Dearie," said Grandnurse,
+disengaging herself from the little girl.
+
+"But is it true?"
+
+"Quite true."
+
+"What will it come in?"
+
+"A bandbox, of course," answered Grandnurse, laughing gaily as she went
+out of the room.
+
+"Can I fetch it? When can I fetch it?" persisted Monica, following her
+downstairs.
+
+"When there's a blue moon. Now go back, there's a dear."
+
+"Yes, but who's going to bring it?"
+
+"Don't ask me--ask the man in the moon," said the little old woman over
+her shoulder in a hushed voice as she disappeared down a dark passage of
+the large house.
+
+Monica, standing there, laughed a little scornful laugh. "Ask the man
+in the moon, indeed!" she muttered. "As though there were one! She often
+says that, but I'm not so silly as to believe it." And full of thought
+of the new little sister she re-entered the nursery.
+
+The heavy curtains had not been drawn, and the moon was looking at her
+just as it had done during the drive. How lovely it was, that drive! She
+went to the large window seat and curled herself up in her favourite
+corner. Outside it looked so cold and white that she drew the curtain
+close around her with a little shiver.
+
+"Can Grandnurse really think there is a man in the moon?" pondered
+Monica as she gazed up at it; and confusedly she thought on: "I wonder
+if there is, after all. Can he be going to bring the baby? I should so
+like to know, and when, or who is going to--I wish he'd tell me--perhaps
+if I were to ask--who spoke about bumping up against the moon? Ah!!"
+
+Monica had conceived a grand idea. Quietly she stole to the table,
+snatched up the empty hatbox which ought to have been tidied away, and
+then--and then she crept stealthily downstairs--everything was
+quiet--stealthily out into the night she went. Now she was in the great
+shed, where the airship was--quite an old friend. She had seen her
+father start on his journey in it, and had heard it all explained. The
+precious bandbox was placed in the car, and the next moment Monica was
+beside it. She touched a button. The great structure moved. She held her
+breath, and her heart thumped surprisingly. Then she clapped her hands
+with delight--the airship slowly moved forward out of the shed, and when
+she pulled a lever thing, close at hand, she was soaring like a bird
+right out into the night, soaring right up towards the heavens. She was
+going to ask the Man in the Moon to be kind enough to give her the new
+baby she had come to fetch.
+
+[Illustration:_She was soaring like a bird right out into the night_]
+
+How cold and crisp the air was! Monica was glad to have on her coat and
+cap of fur. Higher, higher she went until she lost consciousness of
+everything except the cold and a sense of loneliness.
+
+And the airship rose upwards, upwards, carrying its pretty burden with
+eyes fast closed, and the curly brown head lay helplessly low, supported
+by the staring white empty bandbox.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Bump! There was a crunching noise as of carriage wheels on a gravel
+path. The airship was aground on something, and Monica realised she must
+get her wits about her. She quickly pushed back the lever thing and the
+noise ceased, the movement also.
+
+In the brilliant light, like sunlight, Monica saw she had alighted on
+some rocks, whilst round about was nothing but mountains, craters,
+caverns, and awful stillness. There was not a creature about, nor a sign
+of anything living. It was dreary to a degree.
+
+"Wherever am I?" exclaimed little Monica. She scrambled out of the car,
+and slung the bandbox on her arm--somehow there was company in that.
+Above her a moon was shining--not _the_ moon she was accustomed to see,
+but one about four times larger, as though suffering from a swollen
+face, with a pattern on it like the map of Europe.
+
+[Illustration: _Round about was nothing but mountains, craters,
+caverns_]
+
+"That does look queer," she muttered aloud. "Bumped against the moon!"
+she thought to herself unconsciously. For now she remembered her father
+having told her what the earth must look like from there; and she
+realised that she had reached her destination, and was actually walking
+about in the moon, and that the larger moon was really the earth. This
+fact was so exciting that she sat down to consider it, enjoy its
+importance, and decide what to do.
+
+She determined to go on, and so she rose and went gaily forward, the
+bandbox swinging from her arm. But it was very difficult walking, steep
+and rocky.
+
+At last she found herself in a large plain of broken stones--"much in
+want of a steam roller," thought Monica as she bravely hobbled
+along--and all around were caves.
+
+Out of the largest one of these there emerged a tall and majestic
+figure, which, to her astonishment, slowly glided sideways towards her,
+wrapped in a cloudy drapery. Then Monica was convinced; and she no
+longer had any doubt whatever but that there was a Man in the Moon, and
+that this was he. So very slowly did he advance that she had plenty of
+time to recover from her surprise, and went forward to meet him and
+introduce herself.
+
+His steely blue eye had a peculiar cold beam in it as he said--
+
+"I bid you unwelcome! Are you not frightened?"
+
+"No," replied the child. "Why should I be? I've done no harm."
+
+"Do you call coming here no harm?" All the time he never stopped still a
+second, but kept gloomily mooning about, his profile with its protruding
+nose and chin in sharp outline always turned towards her.
+
+"I've come to--to fetch--" stammered Monica, chilled by her reception.
+
+"You're a trespasser! You're evidently a poacher, too," he added,
+glancing angrily at the bandbox. "Begone!"
+
+"But, please sir, do tell me----"
+
+With a warning gesture the Man slowly raised his arm till its cloud-like
+drapery hid his face, and he disappeared.
+
+"Dear me! I don't like him a little bit!" murmured Monica, staring
+vacantly about, and found that where he had stood there was a big board
+on which in big letters was inscribed--
+
+  +-------------------------------------+
+  | TRESPASSERS WILL BE MOONSTRUCK.     +
+  |                           BY ORDER. +
+  +-------------------------------------+
+
+At the sight of it Monica quickly took refuge in the smallest of the
+caves.
+
+"Who are you?" said a voice; and as soon as her eyes had become
+accustomed to the gloom she saw a queer creature resembling a great toad
+swathed in a long white beard.
+
+"Whoever you are," said the quaint inhabitant, "I'm too blind to see
+you. Just lead me to the further corner, there's a good trespasser."
+
+Monica did not quite like being talked to like that, but she held out
+the bandbox and, supporting himself by it, her new acquaintance limped
+to where he was led and sat down.
+
+"Thanks, and many of them. It's not so draughty here," he said.
+
+"Have you been long in this cave?" asked Monica.
+
+"A few thousand years or so--I can't tell to a minute," he mumbled. "But
+who are you, my dear? By birth, of course, a Lunarian, but not by
+accent."
+
+Monica mentioned who she was. Whereupon he became quite talkative, and
+began telling her about the moon, but only what she had read in her
+lesson books.
+
+"Have you a House of Parliament?" she asked, anxious to glean useful
+information. She had recently been to hear her father speak in theirs
+at home, and was very proud of that.
+
+"We've only a moonicipality, you know," said her strange companion,
+rambling on until he became quite drowsy. Emboldened by his kind manner,
+she told him why she had come, and begged for his advice. To her dismay
+the only reply she got was a series of the loudest snores she had ever
+heard. He was sound asleep.
+
+"Do tell me what I had better do," she implored, and she shook and
+pinched him till he awoke.
+
+"Get on the right side of him, and don't bother me," croaked the old
+creature, and snored louder than ever. Delighted at the hint, Monica
+came out on to the plain, and saw the Man gliding slowly on, sideways,
+as before. He frowned heavily on seeing her there, and seemed speechless
+with indignation.
+
+"Get on the right side of him," repeated Monica to herself as she made a
+dart forward to do so. This proved unsuccessful, for just then he turned
+so blue that she stopped, wondering if he was getting a fit.
+Grandnurse's words, "When there's a blue moon," suddenly occurred to
+her, and she knew that now was her chance. She took courage in his
+slowness, and without looking at him a second time she rushed, stooping
+low, into a very small cave on the other side of him.
+
+
+II
+
+THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOON
+
+It was not a cave at all. It was an arbour, the beams of which were
+moonbeams, so that Monica stepped straight through into it and sat down
+upon a bench.
+
+"Evidently the moon is not made of green cheese, as Grandnurse always
+thought," pondered Monica with the pride of the discoverer. "I must
+remember to tell her that." And she was just tying a knot in her
+handkerchief to remind herself when she was startled to hear a musical
+voice say--
+
+"Are you aware that you are on the wrong side of the moon?" It belonged
+to a tiny figure no bigger than Monica's doll, dressed like a lady
+gardener, with apron, straw hat, and big gloves.
+
+"The little blind man in the cave told me it is the right side for me,"
+replied Monica politely.
+
+"Oh!! He's never done so before. But if Toady told you that, then no one
+can blame the Gardeness. Who are you?"
+
+"I am Monica."
+
+"It's a strange name. Some parents have queer fancies. You are the first
+moon child who has ever come back. How you have grown, to be sure; I
+shouldn't have known you!" When she heard Monica's errand and had
+refreshed her memory as to where she lived, she remarked with surprise,
+"We've had an order for one to be sent to your address to-day. We
+always forward to customers' houses. But people _never_ come and fetch
+them. It's a most unheard-of proceeding!" added the little lady with a
+toss of her pretty head. "Where's your check?"
+
+[Illustration: _A tiny figure, no bigger than Monica's doll_]
+
+"Cheque? Have I got to buy it? I've just spent all my money on a new
+doll," said Monica, her eyes filling with tears, "and now I might have
+bought the new baby instead!"
+
+"We're on the check system here," said the little lady, smiling. "Come
+with me and I'll show you round, then you'll see what nonsense you're
+talking."
+
+Monica brightened up, and they proceeded down a trim gravel path that
+had a moonstone wall on either side and a big door at the end.
+
+"Who are you, please?" asked Monica as they went along.
+
+"Where you come from, clever people call me Selene. Here, I am the
+Gardeness.--Your pass check," she added in a business-like way. "To
+Order or Bearer--which do you want?" The child hesitated. "You want to
+order a baby, I suppose?" The Gardeness was becoming rather impatient.
+
+"Oh yes, I've come to fetch it."
+
+"But you can't have a cheque to Order and Bearer at the same time."
+
+"Can't I?" inquired Monica plaintively. "How can I take it, then?"
+
+"That will be my business," whispered her companion mysteriously; then
+added loudly: "The little ones are being checked in the Counting House
+now. Be quick, or the pick of the choice will be gone."
+
+"To Order," faltered Monica.
+
+Whereupon her companion pushed the great door, which swung open, and the
+quaint pair quickly passed through. "They are always on order," remarked
+the Gardeness as she led Monica up a high flight of steps, "but we
+forward them in our own way. Excuse my question; it was a matter of
+form."
+
+Now they were in the loveliest garden ever seen, and Monica gave a
+little sob of delight as she noticed that all around about her in every
+flower nestled the dearest, wee-est little baby imaginable, whilst
+hundreds of tiny creatures were tending them, drying the dew-drops from
+their big round eyes, and turning their little bald heads for more air,
+all the while humming a refrain which Monica recognised as her Mother's
+favourite one, called the "Bee's Wedding."
+
+At first she marvelled silently at the beauty of the scene. Then, as she
+basked in the pervading warmth, she remembered having been surprised at
+seeing the moon and sun out at the same time, and now realised the moon
+was sunning its garden of babies.
+
+"I've brought my bandbox," she remarked, laughing gaily.
+
+"That's a good thing," replied her companion, "as it has to be a private
+transaction. Stoop down," and she drew Monica closer to the rows upon
+rows of the beautifullest roses, gently moved the petals of one of them,
+and revealed embedded in the heart of the rose its own sweet little
+baby.
+
+[Illustration: _Rows upon rows of the beautifullest roses_]
+
+Then the Gardeness told Monica with infinite pride about the flower
+infants under her care. To her visitor's remark on their resemblance to
+each other, she replied touchily, "I suppose you've seen many girls
+called Rose, who were alike when born, but they differ enough later!
+It's the same with the rest."
+
+The Gardeness pointed out to her the children with the names of Lily,
+Daisy, Sweet William, and others, all borne up by their especial flower;
+her own flower, the Gardenia; and the Marigold's Mary; and told her how
+in some flowers the children imbibe their tastes from their
+surroundings. Thus, as they strolled around, Monica heard that the
+Dandelion turns out too foppish a child: that amongst the wild oats the
+harum-scarum boys develop: that the Blue Cornflower babies remain true
+to their liking for farinaceous food: and in Love-lies-bleeding, little
+Cupids are born.
+
+Monica went through the vegetable garden and saw the turnips, where the
+noses of the infants looked so funny. "They generally take a dislike to
+vegetables later on," explained the Gardeness; "now those over there,"
+pointing to a bed of 18-carrots, "are as good as gold. But we must not
+linger here. You shall have a peep at the orchard, and visit the
+Counting House; then you must be quick and make your choice."
+
+In the orchard were only boy babies, some sweet-tempered, others sour.
+The Gardeness wouldn't recommend a gooseberry one, for it was apt to
+grow up silly. There were some rosy, apple-cheeked ones, but they looked
+_all_ cheek. Little gipsy-faced babies peeped with black eyes from out
+of the blackberry bushes; whilst in the fruit and nut trees close by
+were many pairs of hard-headed little twins, all Philips and
+Philippines.
+
+"There's no time," observed the Gardeness, "to visit the Indian garden,
+or the Chinese, or the others; I should like to have shown you some
+quaint little baby girls called Peach Blossom in the Japanese garden.
+But after all, I suppose you prefer an English one? They are generally
+chosen according to climate." And seeing Monica smile and nod, she
+hurried her off to the Counting House.
+
+Monica had not been considering at all what she should choose, for she
+had lost her heart to that first little Rose baby.
+
+Very soon they reached their destination--a long, low building.
+"Listen!" said the Gardeness, drawing her to an open window. "They are
+actually quarrelling over it again!" There was a fearful hubbub going on
+inside, above which could be distinguished--
+
+"If one times six is six--six times one must be one! So that fat infant
+weighs more than one and six!"
+
+"Ah!" exclaimed her guide, "a stupid wrangle! No wonder that complaints
+arise, and that the children don't always arrive at their destinations
+in time. It causes no end of bother. Pass in!" The noise ceased, and in
+the enormous room hundreds of babies freshly gathered from the garden
+were being numbered and ticketed by a regular little army of miniature
+hospital nurses, who received instructions from their superiors standing
+behind the counter. As she entered, Monica heard that No. 47,859,056--a
+dear little Indian baby--was to be forwarded to some strange-sounding
+address in Calcutta, where it was expected in 27 days, 7 hours, 48
+minutes, and 11.5 seconds (very business-like, but it would have been
+simpler to say that day next month, for it was a lunar month).
+
+As it was carried away, Monica and her guide followed and entered the
+Packing and Forwarding Department, and saw it wrapped up in cabbage
+leaves, packed in one of the numerous bandboxes which lined the walls,
+and gently warned that if it cried much it would crack its voice. Then
+the box was labelled "FRAGILE! WITH CARE!" and put down a trap-door in
+the floor, where it disappeared from view.
+
+The babies were being brought in rapidly, packed with all despatch, and
+each received advice, such as, to sleep as much as it could after the
+journey; when bored, to suck its thumb; to try and get its own way
+whenever possible; and when it disapproved, to express the same in the
+usual manner.
+
+Immediately they got outside the Gardeness advised Monica, as her
+parents were well-to-do, to choose a set of twins, which were not
+welcome everywhere, and thus save them being planted on a poor family,
+for they had to be got off somehow, so were always sent (as if by
+mistake) where least expected. But Monica mentioned her choice, and
+begged very hard for it. So the Gardeness took the bandbox from her,
+bade her wait behind a tree, and with that little toss of the head went
+to gather the Rose baby which had been sent for in so unheard-of a way.
+Monica waited there so long that she became very anxious.
+
+At last the Gardeness returned, pale and out of breath, hurriedly warned
+her not to let in any cold air on to the child, which was packed all
+snug and comfortable in the bandbox, and, above all, to make all speed
+or she would meet some one she wouldn't like, showed her a short cut to
+the boundary, kissed her hand, and was gone.
+
+Monica, trembling all over with excitement, hastened away with her
+precious burden, the difference in weight being scarcely perceptible.
+She ran quickly towards the spot where she had left the airship, quickly
+placed her treasure and herself inside, and had just touched the "drop
+spring" when the Man in the Moon appeared, approaching slowly. His face
+was turned fully towards her, and looked quite different from what it
+had been before, calm and expressionless. But she did not trust it, and
+was thankful when she pushed off and felt the airship was moving away.
+Feeling safe at last, Monica smiled in triumph; with one hand she raised
+her bandbox on high, with the other she waved a farewell. Then the Man,
+as if in protest, lifted his arm so that his face once more was hidden
+in gloom.
+
+And Monica felt herself dropping, dropping rapidly into the blackness of
+the icy cold night.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+She was thinking: "My book says that no one on earth has ever seen the
+other side of the moon, so no one knows what on earth is on the other
+side of it. That's why Grandnurse couldn't answer my questions
+properly--and the Man wouldn't. Perhaps even he has never seen the
+Garden of Babies, as he was far too tall to enter that small cave. How
+lucky I found it all out for myself!"--when, with a great start she came
+to earth and confusedly recognised the lighted windows of her home. How
+she got the airship back into its shed and how she entered the nursery
+window she never quite remembered. Throwing back the heavy curtain from
+the window seat, without noticing Grandnurse, who was in the room,
+Monica took off her coat and cap, hurriedly placed them in the
+night-nursery, ran back, and peeped eagerly under the lid of the bandbox
+on the table. It was empty!! "Goodness gracious me, Missie!" cried
+Grandnurse. "Not put yourself to bed yet!"
+
+[Illustration: _The Man lifted his arm so that his face was once more
+hidden in gloom_]
+
+"Oh, Grandnurse, what _have_ you done with the new baby?" asked Monica
+piteously, great tears brimming over her eyes.
+
+"They must always be unpacked at once, you know, without a moment's
+delay. Come and see, my Poppets, for I'm sure you won't rest without,"
+added the kind old woman, leading her away.
+
+And there, in a dressing-room, in a bassinette, already cosily asleep
+but still sucking its thumb, Monica beheld with rapture the tiny Rose
+baby she had chosen in that lovely garden high up in the moon--in
+Cloudland far away.
+
+                                  THE END
+
+
+                     Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO.
+                     Edinburgh & London
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rainbow Book Tales of Fun & Fancy, by 
+Mabel Henriette Spielmann
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RAINBOW BOOK TALES--FUN, FANCY ***
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