et them to show him the way into the garden.

On and on he ran, through one hall after another, through arched
doorways, and along echoing corridors, until he felt all bewildered and
out of breath. All the time he was running he seemed to hear the music
of the singing fountain in his ears, but whenever he stopped to listen
everything was still.

He was so out of breath that he had begun to walk, when turning another
corner he suddenly saw before him a little girl who he somehow felt sure
was Starlein.

Her hair was of a silvery yellow and was like a mist about her head;
she was very beautiful and was dressed from head to foot in silver that
shone and sparkled as she moved. Around her was flying a flock of white
doves, and she was playing with them and talking.

As soon as she saw Teddy she cried out, "Oh, it's a little child!" and
running down the hall to him, with her doves flying about her, she put
her little hands on his cheeks and kissed him. Then she stood back and
looked at him with her hands clasped. "You dear little boy!" she said.
"Where did you come from?"

"I came through the white square," said Teddy.

"I don't know the white square," said the little girl, "but I'm glad you
came. I haven't anyone to play with since Silverling went away."

"Where has Silverling gone?" asked Teddy. "I must find him."

The little girl shook her head. "I don't know," she said. "We quarrelled
once and he went away. He must be in some of the halls, but I've been
hunting and hunting ever since and I can't find him."

Then Teddy told her how the Counterpane Fairy had said that he must
find Silverling and Starlein and that then perhaps he could get into the
garden where the singing fountain was.

The little girl shook her head again. "I am Starlein," she said, "but I
can't take you into the garden, because I have never found the gate
into it since Silverling went away," and she went over and sat down on a
marble bench beside the wall, and all the doves settled about her on her
knees and shoulders.

"Never mind," cried Teddy, bravely, "you wait here and I'll go and find
him. I found you and I'll find him too."

Turning he ran down the hall and through an arched way into another
hall, and there, far, far down at the other end, he saw a little boy
dressed in silver, who was tossing a silver ball up into the air and
catching it again.

When he saw Teddy he slipped the ball into his pocket and ran to meet
him, leaping with