en
meeting the sunset sheep, who, by this time, had found their little
lambs. When they got back to the Garden, and stood in front of the
gate through which Sara had entered, Schlorge had Sara sit down at
once. It was really an unnecessary precaution, he said, since the
holder was a non-conductor of dimple-waves, and not even the Snimmy
could detect their presence when they were inside of it. "Still," said
Schlorge, "I'll feel safer about 'em when they're on the pedestal out
of his reach," and with that he took the globe from Sara's hands and
fastened it deftly on the pedestal. Sara had never enjoyed herself
more than she did as she sat by the amber waters in the fading light,
watching the kind, clumsy Koopf (who was yet so skilful at his own
work) place the pretty globe with so much pride and pleasure. She kept
sniffing, meanwhile, at the tantalizing perfume that seemed to sift
downward from the feathers of the Plynck, as she stirred, ever so
softly, in her dreams.

At last the Koopf took a large slice of onion, which the Snimmy's wife
had left convenient, and rubbed it all around the base of the
pedestal.

"Now," he said, "if you'll always remember to stand inside of that
circle, when you take 'em off and put 'em on, there won't be any more
trouble. And take 'em off as soon as you shut the doors. If you
dilly-dally a minute--"

At that moment the Plynck awoke and saw Sara. She stretched her warm,
shimmering feathers and smiled.

"Avrillia's at home," she said, gently.

Chapter II
Avrillia

"I make it a rule," the Plynck was saying, as Sara dropped the curtain
behind her the next morning, "to fly around the fountain at least
twice every day." As she spoke, she reached out and took, from a
bundle that lay within easy reach in a crotch of the Gugollaph-tree,
something that looked like a little ivory stick. She snapped it easily
with one golden claw, dropped the fragments, and reached out with
careless grace for another.

"Oh," breathed Sara, clasping her hands. And she could not help adding,
shyly, "If I could only see you when you fly--Madame Plynck!"

Sara was very proud of herself after she had said that. She had never
called anybody "Madame" before, but she had read it in books, and it
seemed just the title for a creature so beautiful and gentle and
stately as the Plynck. It seemed so suitable that it gave her courage
to repeat, "I