silver bowl, Vera climbed into a chair on the other side.
Gladys looked into her eyes thoughtfully while she considered. She would
give Faith something so far finer than the baby prince that everybody would
praise her for her generosity, and no one would remember that she had ever
been selfish. Ah, she knew what she would ask for!

"For Faith first," she said, addressing Vera, then looking at the glinting
bowl she silently made her wish, then with eager hand lifted off the cover.

Ah! Ah! What did she behold! A charming little bird, whose plumage changed
from purple to gold in the candle light, stood on a tiny golden stand at
the bottom of the bowl.

Gladys lifted it out, and as soon as it stood on her hand, it began to
warble wonderfully, turning its head from side to side like some she had
seen in Switzerland when she was there with her mother.

"Oh, Vera, isn't it _sweet_!" she cried in delight.

"Beautiful!" returned Vera, smiling and clapping her little hands.

When the song ceased Gladys looked thoughtful again. "I don't think it's a
very appropriate present for Faith," she said, "and I've always wanted one,
but we could never find one so pretty in our stores."

Vera looked at her very soberly.

"Now you just stop staring at me like that, Vera. I guess it's mine, and I
have a right to keep it if I can think of something that would please Faith
better. Now let me see. I must think of something for Ernest. I'll just
give him something so lovely that he'll wish he'd bitten his tongue before
he spoke so to me in the boat."

Gladys set the singing bird in her lap, fixed her eyes on the bowl, and
again decided on a wish.

Taking off the cover, a gold watch was seen reposing on the bottom of the
bowl. "That's it, that's what I wished for!" she cried gladly, and she took
out the little watch, which was a wonder. On its side was a fine engraving
of boys and girls skating on a frozen pond. Gladys's bright eyes caught
sight of a tiny spring, which she touched, and instantly a fairy bell
struck the hour and then told off the quarters and minutes.

"Oh, it's a repeater like uncle Frank's!" she cried, "and so small, too!
Mother said I couldn't have one until I was grown up. Won't she be
surprised! I don't mean to tell her for ever so long where I got it."

"I thought it was for Ernest," remarked Vera quietly.

"Why, Vera," returned the child earnestly, "I should think you'd see that
no boy ought to have a watch lik