l plan, and although the avenues or paths
between the trees and plants led in every direction, the ground beneath
them was everywhere thickly covered with a carpet of magnificent
flowers or richly tinted ferns and grasses. This was because the birds
never walked upon the ground, but always flew through the air.

Often, as they passed by, the flowers would greet them with sweet songs
or choruses and the plants would play delightful music by rubbing or
striking their leaves against one another, so that the children's ears
were constantly filled with harmony, while their eyes were feasted on
the bewildering masses of rich color, and each breath they drew was
fragrant with the delicious odors of the blossoms that abounded on
every side.

"Of all the fairylands I've ever heard of or read about," said Twinkle,
"this certainly is the best."

"It's just a peach of a fairyland," commented Chubbins, approvingly.

"Here is the nectar tree," presently remarked the royal Messenger, and
he paused to allow them to observe it.

The tree was all of silver--silver trunk and branches and leaves--and
from the end of each leaf or branch dripped sparkling drops of a
pink-tinted liquid. These glistened brightly as they fell through the
air and lost themselves in a bed of silver moss that covered all the
ground beneath the tree.

Ephel flew to a branch and held his mouth open so that a drop from
above fell into it. Twinkle and Chubbins followed his example, and
found the pink liquid very delightful to drink. It seemed to quench
their thirst and refresh them at the same time, and when they flew from
the queer dripping tree they were as light-hearted and gay as any two
children so highly favored could possibly have felt.

"Haven't you any water in your paradise?" asked the little girl-lark.

"Yes, of course," Ephel answered. "The fountain-lilies supply what
water we wish to drink, and the Lustrous Lake is large enough for us
all to bathe in. Besides these, we have also the Lake of Dry Water, for
you must know that the Lustrous Lake is composed of wet water."

"I thought all water was wet," said Chubbins.

"It may be so in your country," replied the Royal Messenger, "but in
our Paradise we have both dry and wet water. Would you like to visit
these lakes?"

"If you please," said Twinkle.

[CHAPTER XV] _The Lake of Dry Water_

They flew through the jewelled gardens for quite a way, emerging at
last from among the trees to find b