awley was an ice-merman but sit and rock herself
backward and forward and whine. "I couldn't go, my dear; I couldn't
indeed," she said. "I'm all of a tremble now to think how that dreadful
merman has been playing with Fatty and Dumpy day after day and I never
knew it."

"Then I'll go by myself," said Father Bear, gruffly, "and leave the
children home with you. But you can go, Fairy," he said to Teddy. "I'll
carry you on my back if you like, and maybe you'll see me catch a
young walrus. I suppose it was you who split him down the back, as the
Counterpane Fairy brought you."

"Yes, sir, it was," said Teddy, timidly; "but I'm afraid I can't go with
you; I'm afraid I'm going back,"--for the bears, the fields of ice,
the far-off green water, were all wavering and growing misty before his
sight. Faintly he heard the voices of the bear cubs: "Owie! owie! don't
go away"; for they had grown fond of him the day before.

Then their voices died away. He was back in the old familiar room with
the Counterpane Fairy perched upon his knees, and a bunch of snowdrops
in the vase beside the bed. The door opened and his mother stood holding
the knob in her hand and speaking to Hannah outside, and in that moment
the Counterpane Fairy was gone.

CHAPTER SIXTH. THE RUBY RING.

THE next day, in spite of the doctor's promises, Teddy was not allowed
to sit up.

It was a raw, blustering day, and every feeling of spring seemed gone
from the air; the wind rattled at the windows, and Hannah built up the
fire until it roared.

Teddy did not feel much disappointed at not being allowed to sit up,
for Harriett came over with her paint-box, and they began coloring
the pictures in some old magazines that mamma gave them; the bed was
littered with the pages.

After a while mamma left them and went down into the kitchen to bake a
cake.

"I wish I had brought my best apron over," said Harriett, "for then I
could have stayed for dinner if you wanted me to."

"Why can't you stay anyhow?" asked Teddy.

"Oh, I can't," said Harriett. "I must go to dancing-class right after
dinner, and I have to wear my apron with the embroidered ruffles."

"Harriett, why don't you go home and get it, and then perhaps you could
have diner up here with me; wouldn't you like that?"

"Yes, but maybe Aunt Alice doesn't want me to stay."

"Yes, she does," said Teddy. "I know she does, because she said she was
so glad to have you come and amuse me."

"Well, I'll