everal parcels, were walking along the cliffs above the cove. The long
perambulator was already waiting at the trysting-place, and Eric,
propped up with pillows, smiled a welcome. Elaine was shocked to see how
ill the child looked. He had been frail enough in the autumn, but now
the poor little body seemed only a transparent garment through which the
soul shone plainly. She greeted him brightly, but with an ache in her
heart.

"My Princess!" he said. "So you've come back to me at last! And Fairy
Bluebell too! Oh, I've wanted you all! It's been a weary winter. The
gnomes kept me shut up in their hill all the time. They wouldn't let me
out."

"Perhaps they were afraid the witches might catch you," answered
Marjorie.

"Yes, I expect that was partly it, but the gnomes are jealous, and like
to guard me. I don't know what I should have done without Titania."

"Did she come to see you?"

"Sometimes. She can't come often, because she's so busy. She's got
crowds of young fairies to look after and keep in order, and sometimes
they're naughty. You wouldn't believe fairies could be naughty, could
you?"

"I suppose there are good and bad ones," laughed Dona.

"He's just silly over fairies!" broke in Lizzie. "Talks of nothing else,
and makes out we're all witches or pixies or what not. Well, Eric, I've
got to go and buy some butter. Will you be good if I leave you here till
I come back? I shan't be above half an hour or so," she added to the
girls.

"Don't hurry," replied Elaine. "We can stay until half-past five. We've
brought our tea, if Eric may have some with us. May he eat cake?"

"Oh yes! He'll tell you what he may eat, won't you, Eric?"

The little fellow nodded. His eyes were shining.

"I didn't know it was to be a fairy feast!" he murmured softly, half to
himself.

The girls were busy unpacking their parcels. They had brought several
presents which they thought would amuse the child during the long hours
he probably spent in bed, a jig-saw puzzle, a drawing-slate, a box of
coloured chalks, a painting-book, and a lovely volume of new fairy
tales. His delight was pathetic. He looked at each separately, and
touched it with a finger, as if it were a great treasure. The fairy
book, with its coloured pictures of gnomes and pixies, he clasped
tightly in his arms.

"It's as good as having a birthday!" he sighed. "I had mine a while
ago. Titania couldn't come to see me, because the young fairies had to
be looked aft