delight and clapping his hands. "Oh, little boy!
little boy!" he cried, "will you come and play with me?"

"Are you Silverling?" cried Teddy, breathlessly.

"Yes," said the little boy.

"Then come! come quick!" cried Teddy. "Starlein is just around the
corner, and she is waiting for you to come and show us the way into the
garden where the singing fountain is."

He caught Silverling by the hand and without another word they ran
as fast as they could up the hall and around the corner, through the
silvery archway, and into the other hall. There Teddy stopped short,
looking blankly about him. Starlein was gone.

Silverling shook his head sadly. "I know how it would be," he said.
"I've been hunting for her ever since we quarrelled, but I can't find
her, and I can't find the way into the garden of the singing fountain
either."

"What did you quarrel about?" asked Teddy.

"We quarrelled about this," said the little boy, touching a slender
golden chain that hung around his neck. "We found it in the garden and
we quarrelled about who should wear it, but I'd be so glad to give it to
Starlein now if she would only come back again."

"Well, wait!" said Teddy. "She can't be far away and I'll go and find
her."

"No, no!" cried Silverling. "You can't find her, and I'll lose you too.
Stay here awhile, little boy, and play with me, for I'm very lonely.
Look! Let's play with my silver ball," and taking it from his pocket
he tossed it to Teddy. Teddy caught it and threw it back to him, and
so they played together in the marble hall, tossing the silver ball and
shouting with laughter.

At last Silverling missed the ball, and as it rolled on down the hall he
ran after it, stooping and trying to catch it, but always just missing.
Teddy shouted and clapped his hands, jumping up and down with his bare
feet, and then he stood still watching Silverling as he ran far, far
down the hall.

As he stood thus, suddenly he heard from just around the corner the
cooing of Starlein's doves.

He did not stop a moment, but turning ran around into the next hall, and
there sure enough was Starlein with her doves about her.

"Oh, little boy!" she cried, "I was afraid I had lost you."

But Teddy caught her by the hand. "Come quick!" he cried, "I have found
Silverling."

They ran together into the hall where a moment ago Silverling had been
playing with the silver ball, but it was vacant now; Silverling was
gone.

"Well, I never!" said Te