efreshments there were, including maple sugar,
hickorynut ice cream and chocolate-covered carrots, and cornmeal made into
little balls with cocoanut marshmallow on the outside, and candied cabbage
leaves, and water-cress flavored with spearmint, and the land knows what!

Well, those children at Alice's and Lulu's party ate so much it's a wonder
that they ever got home. They had a lovely time, though Alice felt
disappointed because the fairy prince didn't come, and everyone wished
Alice and Lulu many happy returns, and Bully, the frog, said:

"When _you_ have a party, Jimmie, I'm coming to that, too."

"Sure," answered Jimmie. "I'll have one next week, if mamma will let me,"
for you see he found he liked parties better than he thought he would.

Well, they played some more games, including one called hide the peanut,
and then it was time to go home; and now comes the queer part of it. Just
as they were all saying good-night, and Uncle Wiggily was looking for his
crutch, there sounded out in the woods three blasts from a silver trumpet.
"Ta-ra-ta-ra-ta-ra!"

You know, just like when the procession starts in a circus, and who should
come riding up to the ducks' house but a little boy, all dressed in silver
and gold, with a long white plume in his hat and he was on a white horse.
Once more the trumpet sounded, and the boy called out:

"Am I too late for the party?"

"Yes, you are," said Uncle Wiggily, leaning on his crutch, which he found
behind the door. "But who are you?"

[Illustration]

"Me? I am the fairy prince!" cried the boy, and the trumpets blew again.

"What? Not the mud turtle fairy prince?" asked Alice, fanning herself, so
she wouldn't faint.

"The very same," answered the boy. "I got tired of being a mud turtle, but
I am still a fairy prince!"

"I don't believe it!" exclaimed Uncle Wiggily. "You are only a little boy
on a horse, and not a fairy prince at all!"

"Wait, and you shall see!" cried the boy, waving his hand, and the silver
trumpet blew again, "Ta-ra-ta-ra-ta-ra!" and the horse reared up on his
hind legs. "I certainly am the fairy prince, and to prove it I will do
something wonderful. Come to the woods to-morrow, Uncle Wiggily Longears,
and see!"

"What will I see?" asked Uncle Wiggily.

"You will see a red fairy," answered the boy who used to be mud turtle,
"and the red fairy will do something wonderful for you."

"Oh!" cried Uncle Wiggily, "I don't believe in fairies!"

But, all