ma, and then she went out.

Teddy lay propped up on the pillow and shuffled and shuffled the cards,
and wished his mother would hurry. He did not like Ann McFinney, for
when she came she always cried, and wiped her eyes on the corner of her
apron, and told how her husband was out of work, and the children needed
shoes.

Now it was some time before mamma came back, and when she did she had
her bonnet on. "Darling," she said, "I have to go out for a while. Mrs.
McFinney's baby's sick, and I've promised the poor thing to come over
and see it. I won't be gone long, and when I come back I'll bring you a
sheet of paper soldiers to cut out."

"I'd rather have a paper circus," said Teddy.

"Very well," said mamma, "I'll bring you a circus instead." Then she
gave him some picture-books to look at while she was out, and kissed him
good-bye, telling him to be a good boy.

She went out through the next room, and he heard her pause to wind the
music-box and set it playing. "There," she called back to him, "you'll
have the music to keep you company," and then she went on down-stairs.

After she had gone Teddy lay fingering the books and not caring to
open them, he knew them so well. "Oh dear!" he sighed, "I wish the
Counterpane Fairy was here!"

"Oh dear, dear, dear! How steep this hill is!" said a little voice just
back of his knees. "Don't break, me little staff, or down I'll go, head
over heels to the bottom." Teddy knew the voice well, and his heart gave
a leap of pleasure. There was the pointed cap and the withered face of
the Counterpane Fairy just appearing above the counterpane hill.

"Oh, Mrs. Fairy, I'm so glad you came, and I have the loveliest square
picked out!" cried Teddy. "I hadn't seen it before, because it was the
other side of my knees. It's that white one with the silver leaves on
it, and my mamma says it was a scrap left from her wedding dress."

"Wait, wait," said the fairy, "till a body gets her breath. Now which
one is it?"

"It's that one," said Teddy. "Will you tell me about it?"

"Why, yes," said the fairy, "if that's the one you want. Now fix your
eyes on it while I count."

Then the Counterpane Fairy began to count. He heard her voice going on
and on and on. "FORTY-NINE!" she cried.

* * * * * * *

When Teddy looked about him he saw that he was standing in a long hall
of white marble veined with silver. There were arches and pillars of
silver and all the wall