ilip, as cross as
the crossest himself; "for half a pin I'd box all their ears. Now then,
what's the matter with you, you little sniveller?" said he, catching
hold of a fair-haired little fellow, who was blubbering his loudest, and
who seemed bent on rubbing his eyes out by the way in which he was
screwing his little fists into them.

"I--I--want my--ma--a, let--me--go--o--to--my--ma," said he, with a sob
between each word.

"You can't go home to your ma, then," said Philip, sharply, giving the
child a shake; but this, instead of quieting, only made him roar louder,
and his example was soon followed by all the rest of his age, and then
there was a dismal chorus, the burden of which was, "Ma, ma, ma."

"Oh! dear, dear me," cried Pepitia, in real distress, "what shall we do
with these children? They'll drive me mad. I shall begin to cry myself
if they don't leave off. I wish the good fairy would come and take us
all home again!"

"Air balloon, air balloon!" shouted Alphonse, starting up from the
grass, where he had been lying on his back during all this confusion,
listlessly staring up to the sky.

This caused a sudden stop to the uproar, and the attention of all was
directed towards the sky. The bigger children waved their handkerchiefs
and shouted "Air balloon!" Some of the little ones joined in the cry,
and so forgot their sorrows, but others resumed their sobbing, and would
not care for balloons or anything else, but only wanted to go home to
their mothers.

The balloon came sailing onwards, seeming to grow larger and larger the
nearer it approached. Within its car sat the fairy Corianda. It slowly
descended in front of the palace, and whilst it rested on the ground
the fairy stepped out; then it re-ascended and floated about in the
air.

"Well, now! what is the matter with you all?" said the fairy, going
among the children and soothing the afflicted ones. "Why are you all so
sad and unhappy? Are you tired of being in this pretty island? and do
you really want to go back to Noviland?"

"Yes, yes; please take us home again," they all cried. "We have been
very happy here, but now we want to go home to our dear mammas and
papas. Please do take us home!"

"Very well," said the fairy; "as you wish it you shall all be back in
your own old homes to-morrow morning. So bid good-bye to Child Island,
and don't cry any more."

Then the fairy waved her hand, and immediately a silvery mist surrounded
them; the palace