-High threw to the air a bundle of red with a few light angles and
circles of bamboo, and it began at once to rise and expand. It went up
into the mid-air, and fold after fold rolled out, and there appeared a
great dragon.

All the children on the field stopped in their play to look up at it.
The sun turned the dragon to intense red. To all appearance a terrible
monster had taken possession of the air!

Suddenly the dragon wheeled about and went coiling along towards the
overlook, Sky-High following and guiding its course. When it was just
overhead it opened a great mouth, and smoke seemed to issue from it.

"Look out, little Lady of the Lotus," cried Sky-High merrily, "or it may
swallow you!"

The little girl ran aside, but the dragon made no attempt to come down.
When at a height some twenty feet above the earth it paused. Then
suddenly, with a puff, it poured down a shower of flowers, butterflies,
and gilded paper, like a gold shower. The air was full of them; they
drifted here, there, and everywhere. All the children on the field ran
to behold the wonder. Everybody shouted, and a great crowd of little
people gathered around Sky-High to pick up the tissue flowers and
butterflies.

"Ah," said the little Chinaman, "you ought to see him do that in the
night, when all he sends down turns into fire!"

There never had been seen a kite like Sky-High's before. But the Chinese
have been masters of kite-flying for more than two thousand years. Among
their national festivals they have a kite-flying day.

Sky-High often came there with his magic kite. He became a very popular
boy in the Park. The Boston boys said "Hello!" when they met him in his
azure suit, quiet fun shining in his eyes. Lucy and Charles walked by
his side with pride. They introduced him to all of their friends who
asked it, and everybody spoke of him.

"Oh, he is such a gentleman, and so educated! Haven't you heard about
him? He came to learn how to do business and understand our American
homes. He will go back to his country and teach sometime. No doubt
a working-boy can rise in China the same as in our land!"

Lucy often begged her mother to let Sky-High wear his beautiful Chinese
clothes to the Park--with his kite he would seem like a true enchanter!
But Mrs. Van Buren strictly forbade.

VIII.

A WAN.

One day there was heard a tremendous explosion in the department of
Sky-High. Mrs. Van Buren came running down-stairs. Lucy followed h