r faeries sing--
Whaur starlicht beams are fallin'."

"For the love o' Mike!" laughed Sandy. "A'm unco glad--a am." He
dropped to his knees beside the queen and nestled his cheek in the hand
that was resting in her lap. "'Tis aricht noo." And he sighed
contentedly.

And it was. The queen leaned over and lifted off the hump as easily as
you might take the cover from a box. Sandy stretched himself and
yawned--after the fashion of any one who has been sleeping a long time
in a cramped position; and without being in the least conscious of it,
he sidled up to the arm of the throne and rubbed his back up and
down--to test the perfect straightness of it.

"'Tis gone--guid! Wull it nae mair coom back?" And he eyed the queen
gravely.

"Never to be burdensome, little lad. Others may think they see it
there, but for you the back will be straight and strong."

Rosita came back--empty-handed; she was so busy holding tight to
Bridget's hand and getting ready to be afraid that she forgot
everything else. As for Michael, he gave his patch into Bridget's
keeping; which brings us to what Bridget remembered.

From the moment that the penny had been given over to her she had been
weighed down with a mighty responsibility. The financier of any large
syndicate is bound to feel harassed at times over the outcome of his
investments; and Bridget felt personally accountable for the
forthcoming happiness due the eight other stockholders in her company.
She was also mindful of what had happened in the past to other persons
who had speculated heedlessly or unwisely with faery gifts. There was
the case of the fisherman and his wife, and the aged couple and their
sausage, and the old soldier; on the other hand, there was the man from
Letterkenny who had hoarded his gold and had it turn to dry leaves as a
punishment. She must neither keep nor spend foolishly.

"Sure I'll think all round a thing twict afore I have my mind made to
anythin'; then I'll keep it made for a good bit afore I give over the
penny."

She repeated this advice while she considered all possible investments,
but she found nothing to her liking. The children made frequent
suggestions, such as bagpipes and clothes-chests, and contrivances for
feast-spreading and transportation; and Susan was strongly in favor of
a baby faery to take back to Miss Peggie. But to all of these Bridget
shook an emphatic negative.

"Sure ye'd be tired o' the lot afore ye'd gon