ce they fly into the air."

"I see," said Twinkle, musingly.

They sailed way across the lake, and because the wind was gentle they
did not upset once. On reaching the farther shore they abandoned the
leaf-boat and again took wing and resumed their flight through the
avenues.

There was a great variety of scenery in the Paradise, and wherever they
went something new and different was sure to meet their view.

At one place the avenue was carpeted with big pansies of every color
one could imagine, some of them, indeed, having several colors blended
together upon their petals. As they passed over the pansies Twinkle
heard a chorus of joyous laughter, and looking downward, she perceived
that the pansies all had faces, and the faces resembled those of happy
children.

"Wait a minute," she cried to Chubbins and the guide, and then she flew
downward until she could see the faces more plainly. They smiled and
nodded to the girl-lark, and laughed their merry laughter; but when she
spoke to them Twinkle found they were unable to answer a single word.

Many of the faces were exceedingly beautiful; but others were bold and
saucy, and a few looked at her with eyes twinkling with mischief. They
seemed very gay and contented in their paradise, so Twinkle merely
kissed one lovely face that smiled upon her and then flew away to rejoin
her companions.

[CHAPTER XVI] _The Beauty Dance_

Before long they came to another and larger sheet of water, and this
Twinkle decided was the most beautiful lake she had ever seen. Its
waters were mostly deep blue in color, although they had a changeable
effect and constantly shifted from one hue to another. Little waves
rippled all over its surface, and the edges of the waves were
glistening jewels which, as they scattered in spray and fell into the
bosom of the lake, glinted and sparkled with a thousand flashing
lights. Here were no rushes upon the shore, but instead of them banks
of gorgeous flowers grew far down to the water's edge, so that the last
ones dipped their petals into the lake itself.

Nestling upon this bank of flowers the Royal Messenger turned to his
companions and said:

"Here let us rest for a time, while I call the friendly fishes to
entertain you."

He ended his speech with a peculiar warble, and at its sound a score of
fishes thrust their heads above the surface of the water. Some of them
were gold-fish and some silver-fish, but others had opal tints that
were ve