erwon" (he meant Oberon, I believe),
"and he lives over the lake--_there_--and now and then he comes in a
little boat--and then we go and meet him--and then we sing this song,
you know."

"And then you go and dine with him?" I said, mischievously.

"You shouldn't talk," Bruno hastily said; "it interrupts the song so."

I said I wouldn't do it again.

"I never talk myself when I'm singing," he went on, very gravely; "so
you shouldn't either."

Then he tuned the bluebells once more, and sung:

"Hear, oh, hear! From far and near
A music stealing, ting, ting, ting!
Fairy bells adown the dells
Are merrily pealing, ting, ting, ting!
Welcoming our fairy king
We ring, ring, ring.

"See, oh, see! On every tree
What lamps are shining, ting, ting, ting!
They are eyes of fiery flies
To light our dining, ting, ting, ting!
Welcoming our fairy king
They swing, swing, swing.

"Haste, oh, haste! to take and taste
The dainties waiting, ting, ting, ting!
Honey-dew is stored--"

"Hush, Bruno!" I interrupted, in a warning whisper. "She's coming!"

Bruno checked his song only just in time for Sylvie not to hear him;
and then, catching sight of her as she slowly made her way through the
long grass, he suddenly rushed out headlong at her like a little bull,
shouting, "Look the other way! Look the other way!"

"Which way?" Sylvie asked, in rather a frightened tone, as she looked
round in all directions to see where the danger could be.

"_That_ way!" said Bruno, carefully turning her round with her face to
the wood. "Now, walk backward--walk gently--don't be frightened; you
sha'n't t'ip!"

But Sylvie did "t'ip," notwithstanding; in fact he led her, in his
hurry, across so many little sticks and stones, that it was really a
wonder the poor child could keep on her feet at all. But he was far too
much excited to think of what he was doing.

I silently pointed out to Bruno the best place to lead her to, so as to
get a view of the whole garden at once; it was a little rising ground,
about the height of a potato; and, when they had mounted it, I drew
back into the shade that Sylvie mightn't see me.

I heard Bruno cry out triumphantly, "_Now_ you may look!" and then
followed a great clapping of hands, but it was all done by Bruno
himself. Sylvie was quite silent; she only stood and gazed with her
hands clasped tightly together,