eously at Polly as long as he remained in sight. That
was truly dreadful, was it not? that comes of leaving little girls alone
all day, which is a very bad plan."

"But is that all?" asked Puffy. "Doesn't it tell what became of Polly,
and the teapot? You haven't told any end to the story, Mr. Moonman."

"Exactly!" I replied. "There isn't any end to it. But there is an end to
this night, and that end has come. Farewell, my mouse, till to-morrow
night."

And I whisked away, leaving Katinka and Puff so much astonished that one
fell off the bed, and the other woke up. Wasn't that funny?

CHAPTER XV.

FOLLOWING A SUNBEAM.

"AUNTIE," said Downy, one morning, "I'v dere any people in de fun?"

"In the fun, dear child?" answered Mrs. Wilton. "What do you mean?
people are often in fun. Is that it?"

[Illustration]

"Oh! no, Auntie!" said Fluff, who was sitting beside Downy on the broad
window-sill, eating her porridge, "I know what he means. He means 'in
the sun,' but he cannot say 's,' you know, so he says 'f' instead."

"Oh!" said Aunt Grace. "In the sun; of course. I understand now. Well,
Downy boy, I have never been in the sun, so I really cannot tell you. I
heard of a little boy who did go once, however. Fluffy, tell Downy the
little story I told you the other day, about the sunbeam. I would tell
it to him myself, but I must speak to cook about dinner."

"Well, Downy," said Fluff, in an important tone, as she settled herself
more comfortably on the window-sill, "Once upon a time there was a
little boy, and his name was Wynkyn."

"Nebber heard dat name!" interrupted Downy.

[Illustration]

"Well, it was his name just the same," said Fluff, "for Auntie said so.
So he wanted to know what was in the sun. So somebody told him--"

"Whobody was it?" inquired Downy.

"Oh! I don't know! anybody!" said Fluff. "I wont tell it if you
interrupt me, Downy."

"I wont adain!" said Downy. "Do on, Fluffy!"

"Somebody told him," continued Fluff, "that if he put his foot on the
end of a sunbeam, it would turn into a golden ladder and lead to the
sun. So he did, and so it did,--turned into a ladder, I mean; all
shining gold, going right up into the sun. So he went up, and up, and
up, and the upper he went the brighter the ladder grew. At last he came
to the sun, and there were ever so many little boys and girls, all made
of gold, running about and playing, and having a splendid time. And they
all came and played wi