stole off by themselves to an empty room which was almost dark and began
to whisper.

"I think it had better be grand-dad," said the Heir-to-Empire gravely,
"'cos my father isn't dead yet, and they must be deaders, you know, if
they are _really_ to help."

"And we'll take the little summer room at the very top of the house,
Mirak, so's we'll be able to stop him on his way down, 'case any one
else has got a platter for him," said Bija the practical. "Now, Mirak,
I'll fetch the sweets if you'll get some lamps. They won't be missed,
you know, if we take them betwixt and between."

After that there was much secret hurrying up and down stairs and secret
gurglings of delight as the preparations advanced.

"Oh, Mirak! Won't it be lovely? He's sure to come in when he sees it!"
said the little girl, clasping her hands. "And Old Faithful was saying
that Grand-dad Babar was as good as twenty other men in a fight, so
_then_ you'll be quite safe."

But Mirak's face was solemn. "If Grand-dad doesn't know it's for him he
won't come in, and he won't eat the sweets either. It's greedy to eat
sweets as doesn't belong to you, and _he_ wasn't greedy. Old Faithful
says he wasn't. He was a real King."

"Don't you think he might be greedy just to help you?" suggested Bija
mournfully; but after thinking a little she clapped her hands. "I have
it, Mirak! If his name was on it that would do! I think I could write
'Ba-ba.' It's only the two first letters, you see, and I know _them_;
and you could prick yourself for some blood to write with, and I could
use my little finger as a pen. It's very, very tiddly wee."

It was, indeed! and Mirak sat large-eyed in admiration of his sister's
ingenuity, while she, mistress of the situation, did this and that until
even she was satisfied. And really the little arched and domed cupola
set in Eastern fashion on the roof, looked quite pretty with the little
glittering lights in a square on the white marble floor, and the platter
of sweets placed in the middle of the square, whereon in smeared red
letters showed this:

[Illustration: BA BA]

"And now, Mirak!" chattered Bija, "we'll go down and go to bed like good
boys and girls, and then when the others are saying their prayers and
going to sleep we can come up again and sleep here."

"Won't it be very cold, Bija?" asked Mirak, whose little nose was half
frost-bitten already, for a cold wind was blowing off the snow hills.

"We will bring quilts,"