toop, and her blue hat with the pink
cornflowers and white ribbon. She had a yellow-lace collar with a green
bow. And the Lamb had indeed his very best cream-colored silk coat and
hat. It was a smart party that the carrier's cart picked up at the Cross
Roads. When its white tilt and red wheels had slowly vanished in a swirl
of chalk-dust--

"And now for the Sammyadd!" said Cyril, and off they went.

As they went they decided on the wish they would ask for. Although they
were all in a great hurry they did not try to climb down the sides of
the gravel-pit, but went round by the safe lower road, as if they had
been carts.

They had made a ring of stones round the place where the Sand-fairy had
disappeared, so they easily found the spot. The sun was burning and
bright, and the sky was deep blue--without a cloud. The sand was very
hot to touch.

"Oh--suppose it was only a dream, after all," Robert said as the boys
uncovered their spades from the sand-heap where they had buried them
and began to dig.

"Suppose you were a sensible chap," said Cyril; "one's quite as likely
as the other!"

"Suppose you kept a civil tongue in your head," Robert snapped.

"Suppose we girls take a turn," said Jane, laughing. "You boys seem to
be getting very warm."

"Suppose you don't come putting your silly oar in," said Robert, who was
now warm indeed.

"We won't," said Anthea quickly. "Robert dear, don't be so grumpy--we
won't say a word, you shall be the one to speak to the Fairy and tell
him what we've decided to wish for. You'll say it much better than we
shall."

"Suppose you drop being a little humbug," said Robert, but not crossly.
"Look out--dig with your hands, now!"

So they did, and presently uncovered the spider-shaped brown hairy body,
long arms and legs, bat's ears and snail's eyes of the Sand-fairy
himself. Everyone drew a deep breath of satisfaction, for now of course
it couldn't have been a dream.

The Psammead sat up and shook the sand out of its fur.

"How's your left whisker this morning?" said Anthea politely.

"Nothing to boast of," said it; "it had rather a restless night. But
thank you for asking."

"I say," said Robert, "do you feel up to giving wishes to-day, because
we very much want an extra besides the regular one? The extra's a very
little one," he added reassuringly.

"Humph!" said the Sand-fairy. (If you read this story aloud, please
pronounce "humph" exactly as it is spelt, for that is how he