and yet
here was Peter gaily putting off and none the worse for it. The birds
pointed this out to each other, and fell into lazy habits.

But, mind you, though Peter was so slow in going back to his mother, he
was quite decided to go back. The best proof of this was his caution
with the fairies. They were most anxious that he should remain in the
Gardens to play to them, and to bring this to pass they tried to trick
him into making such a remark as 'I wish the grass was not so wet,' and
some of them danced out of time in the hope that he might cry, 'I do
wish you would keep time!' Then they would have said that this was his
second wish. But he smoked their design, and though on occasions he
began, 'I wish----' he always stopped in time. So when at last he said
to them bravely, 'I wish now to go back to mother for ever and always,'
they had to tickle his shoulders and let him go.

He went in a hurry in the end, because he had dreamt that his mother
was crying, and he knew what was the great thing she cried for, and
that a hug from her splendid Peter would quickly make her to smile.
Oh! he felt sure of it, and so eager was he to be nestling in her arms
that this time he flew straight to the window, which was always to be
open for him.

[Illustration: Wallflower juice is good for reviving dancers who fall
to the ground in a fit]

But the window was closed, and there were iron bars on it, and peering
inside he saw his mother sleeping peacefully with her arm round another
little boy.

Peter called, 'Mother! mother!' but she heard him not; in vain he beat
his little limbs against the iron bars. He had to fly back, sobbing,
to the Gardens, and he never saw his dear again. What a glorious boy
he had meant to be to her! Ah, Peter! we who have made the great
mistake, how differently we should all act at the second chance. But
Solomon was right--there is no second chance, not for most of us. When
we reach the window it is Lock-out Time. The iron bars are up for life.

[Illustration: Tailpiece to 'Lock-out Time']

[Illustration: Headpiece to 'The Little House']

V

THE LITTLE HOUSE

Everybody has heard of the Little House in the Kensington Gardens,
which is the only house in the whole world that the fairies have built
for humans. But no one has really seen it, except just three or four,
and they have not only seen it but slept in it, and unless you sleep in
it you never see it. This is because