r testily, "and so has
the easel, also the paints and palette; and the canvas is stretched and
the sketch made. You have nothing to do but to mount up to your seat,
and fill in with colours. Shade away, beginning at the left corner, and
make haste."

Paulina looked at the canvas, upon which was the outline of a figure
reclining upon a rock. She was going to say she could not shade it, when
the Red Emperor said sternly--

"No nonsense! Mount to the seat and paint as fast as you can, for if the
painting is not finished before the stars come out, Peter will never
come home again."

Paulina scrambled up; she took the palette in one hand, the brush in the
other, and began to put on the colour as fast as she could. She did not
take any pains, but dabbed away, beginning in the left-hand corner. She
scarcely looked at what she was doing; but somehow or other it answered,
and the picture progressed rapidly. Paulina herself was surprised, but
she knew that she must lose no time, for the stars were only waiting for
the twilight.

"The evening star, oh! don't let it come," said a very tiny little
voice, that sounded like Peter's, a long way off; and it went on
saying--

"Oh, Paulina! I have been a
Naughty boy, I know.
Don't look up and don't look down, dear,
On with the painting go."

[Illustration: "STANDING OVER THE BOY" (_p._ 49).]

"I should be dizzy if I looked down: I'm so very high up," answered
Paulina; "but I should like to know where you are, Peter."

"Never mind where he is," said the Red Emperor, "so that he is
somewhere; that is enough for you. He is not far off. You will descend
as the picture draws near completion, and at the last stroke of your
brush you will see him. Obey me, or Peter will vanish away, and you will
never see him again."

Again Peter's voice was heard--

"Yes, I'm near you, but I've grown very small; the Wind shook me about
till I was only half the size I ought to be, just for knocking down a
boy who came in my way. Go on, Paulina; paint away, make no delay, or I
shall have to go away."

And the Red Emperor also said, "Go on."

VI.

And Paulina went on with her work. Her palette was almost clean, so
thoroughly had she used up all the colours upon it, and the painting
only wanted a few more touches, which she added carefully. Then she drew
a little backward to take a view of her picture. She closed her eyes for
a moment, the better to consider the subject, and when s