The Counterpane Fairy

not to tell her that now he was no longer in bed, so when the little girl came running

each have a little sponge-cake, and she's going to let us blo

ss so," sai

y for quite a time. Sometimes they threw the bubbles into the air and tried to blow them up to the ceiling; somet

put their pipes into the suds, and blew and blew until quite a

ime, so mamma put all the things away, and re

d it was almost supper-time, so mamma helped her put

er; he felt quite willing to be put to bed, an

mp behind the screen. By its dim light Teddy saw the Counterpane Fairy's brown hood

reached the top of the hill, "I'm so glad you've come, for I d

" said the fairy. "As soon

erpane Fairy told him that she was ready and that he might choose a square, he made haste

* *

y mist all about him, so that it was almost as though he were walkin

, and that in front was the place where he was

shining as glass. Beside him on the beach a little gray bird wa

and the little bird did not stir. "Peet-weet! peet-weet!" it cried. Suddenly with a quick movement he clutched it. For a moment he thought that h

d at all, but the Counterpane Fairy, who stood smoothing down her cloak and fr

he fairy. "Do I l

like those of a sparrow, but he did not like to say so. All he said was, "I wonder

ms go by," said the Counterpane Fai

said Teddy. "I don't

he lake. Teddy looked as hard as he could, and after a while he thought he d

I do,"

they go sailing past here, on their way to the people who are asleep, an

nd as it passed the island it turned its face toward them and waved a shadowy hand. Presently two more boats

hen the dreams began to go past so

nning up smoothly onto the gray beach, and out of it hopped a queer, ugly little dream, with pop eyes and

?" asked Ted

dream," said t

ming here for?" asked

"and I'm not coming to you. I'm goi

"She's my cousin. But why are y

She was to have had such a pretty dream to-night, but she ate a piece of plum

other one like

boat and came up the beach toward them. It was very beautiful, and in its hand it carried a great bunch of shining bubbles, fastened to a stick by parti-colored ribbo

nds at her. "Go away! Go away!" he cried. "There's no use your

h you," said the pretty dream, sorrowfully. "Sh

his thumbs in the corners of his mouth, drawing it wide, and at the same time drew down the outside corners of his eyes with his forefingers, just as Teddy had seen the boys at school do s

ring all the time how he could induce him to let the pretty dream go to Harriett, and as they w

ugh, and broken up with a number of black holes. The ugly dream went fr

ou doing?"

I'm listening?" sai

rned to Teddy and nodded his head. "This is

"My cousin Harriett doesn't live in a hole! She

ay to get into her house from here. If you want to come, come; and if you

n that way, I think I'd fall an

hand," said the dream. "I always go t

e dream's shadowy fingers in his. Then they pushed themse

t to the dream's fingers, and soon they landed, as softly and lightly as a feather, righ

the fun," whis

ght, and beyond the open closet door Teddy could see the toys all arranged in order just as Harriett had left the

h an ugly dream that he stood still. "You won'

m. "I'll frighten her just as much

Teddy, almost crying him

it," cried the d

ou're not so very ugly," he said. "Harriet has a Jack-in-the

ieve it," sa

Teddy; "and it's righ

box where Jack lived, and pop! up shot the most hideous little man that ever was seen, with a bright red face and white whisk

y in the lock, fastening the dream in. "Hi there! let me out! let me ou

e pretty dream is going to Harriett now." Then he turned to the pretty dream an

little white bed, with her eyes closed and her curls spread out

ame into Harriett's cheeks. "Oh! pretty, pretty!" she whispe

pretty!" c

* *

dear?" asked mamma

Counterpane Fairy was the tip of her brown hood disappearing

s such a pretty d

gain, dear, for it is very late, and you can tell me

NTERPAN