louds as they
mowed, and another army of Gunki was engaged in catching it in baskets
and spreading it smoothly down again. One and all, they seemed deeply
absorbed in this useful work.

Still a third crew of Gunki were engaged in helping Schlorge reset the
stump. They had got it nearly into place by the time Sara arrived. It
was a tremendous engineering feat, and had evidently required any
number of ropes and pulleys and things.

Sara could see that the ropes were made of taffy, but she could not
imagine where they had found enough pulley-bones to supply all the
pulleys. So she asked Schlorge about it, and he explained with great
relish that they had used the wish-bones of the Fractions themselves.

"Oh, we've made 'em useful!" said Schlorge, triumphantly. "We've used
everything about 'em except their conceit. We didn't want that, so we
just raked it up into piles and burned it."

As he talked, Schlorge was busy fitting the stump exactly to the root
that was left in the ground, so that it would grow back just right
when the snow melted.

"I have to hurry," explained Schlorge, working away with an anxious
expression, "because I have an announcement to make to you--a message
from Avrillia."

"Oh, do hurry!" cried Sara, clapping her hands so recklessly that
Schlorge looked up from his work to say, "Take care--I don't mend them
knuckles ones, you know."

So Sara sat down very quietly on the snow near by, keeping a watchful
eye out for the Gunki with the keen ice-sickles, and sitting very
still so that she would not disturb Schlorge. And in a very little
while, indeed, the work was finished, and Schlorge scrambled eagerly
upon the stump and arranged his hands. Then he began:

"I'm requested to say
On this glickering day
That Avrillia is feeding the Birds;
And if Sara will come
She will find her at home,
With waffles and welcoming words."

Schlorge jumped down and began scrambling his tools together; then he
went rushing wildly, as usual, down the road to the Dimplesmithy. "Go
see her, Sara!" he shouted back over his shoulder encouragingly.
"You'll enjoy it! Go on!"

So Sara, who really needed no urging, went smiling down the little
path (it was curly again, though very white) toward the little arch in
the hedge. And from there she looked out upon another exhilarating
scene.

Now I did not think it necessary to say that the