was that a true story like the
others?" he asked her at last.

"How should I know?" asked the fairy. "Do I look as though I knew
anything about rainbow children? You'd better ask Ellen McFinney; maybe
she can tell you."

"Well, I will," said Teddy. "I mean to ask her just as soon as ever I'm
well."

He did not have to wait for that, however, for the very next day his
mother told him that little Ellen had at last consented to be taken to
the hospital, and that perhaps when he saw the little girl again she
would be able to walk and run about almost like other children.

CHAPTER EIGHTH. HARRIETT'S DREAM.

TEDDY had begged mamma to ask Harriett to come over and play with him
after school, but not to tell her that now he was no longer in bed, so
when the little girl came running in she was very much surprised. "Why,
Teddy, you're well again, aren't you?" she cried.

"Yes, now I'm well again," said Teddy "and mamma says we may each have
a little sponge-cake, and she's going to let us blow soap-bubbles. Would
you like to blow soap-bubbles, Harriett?"

"Yes, I guess so," said Harriett.

So mamma made them a bowl of strong suds, and brought out two pipes, and
the children played together very happily for quite a time. Sometimes
they threw the bubbles into the air and tried to blow them up to the
ceiling; sometimes the children put their pipes close together, so that
the bubbles they blew were joined in one lopsided globe.

Last of all they set the bowl on a chair, and kneeling beside it put
their pipes into the suds, and blew and blew until quite a soap-bubble
castle rose up and touched their noses with wet suds.

Teddy felt a little tired and soapy by that time, so mamma put all the
things away, and read them some stories from Grimm's Fairy Tales.

After that Harriett said she must go home, and indeed it was almost
supper-time, so mamma helped her put on her little hat and coat and
kissed her good-bye.

Teddy was very tired by the time supper was over; he felt quite willing
to be put to bed, and as soon as he was there he sank into a doze.

When he awoke again he was alone; it was quite dark outside, but
mamma had set a lamp behind the screen. By its dim light Teddy saw the
Counterpane Fairy's brown hood appearing above the hill, and he heard
her sighing to herself: "Oh dear! oh dear!"

"Oh, Mrs. Fairy!" cried the little boy, almost before she had reached
the top of the hill, "I'm so glad you've come, for