“There!” he exclaimed at length, “I’m certainly glad I’ve ‘stacked all my arms’―my, I’m tired!” As he leaned back to yawn, off fell his helmet and he melted away.
“Serves him right,” murmured Emery Bag; “I hope Fairy Lady won’t ask him to the sewing party to-day,―she really arranges all these lessons.”
“Don’t fear! Don’t fear! Mr. Emery Bag; You’ve got Silv Thimble’s Very last tag,”
“Good!” thought Mary Frances. “Now, I’ll go in.”
[Illustration: “My, I’m glad I got that child to sleep”]
“GOOD-AFTERNOON, dear Thimble People,” said the little girl, putting Angie on a rocking chair.
[Illustration: “An apron and a pinafore”]
“Good-afternoon,” came many little voices, and Sewing Bird began to sing:―
“Oh, do you know, Oh, do you know What we have planned For us to sew?”
“I don’t,” laughed Mary Frances. “Please tell me?”
“For your dear dolly we will make, And every pains will try to take, An apron, and a pinafore; And later, other things galore; Her wardrobe we so full will fill, No one would care to pay her bill.”
[Illustration: “What we have planned For us to sew?”]
“Magic and Mystery!” exclaimed Mary Frances, putting her hands over her eyes; and Fairy Lady sat in the doll’s rocking chair.
[Illustration: “Thank you dear Fairy Lady”]
“Oh,” said Mary Frances somewhat breathlessly, “excuse me for calling you so suddenly, but I so wanted to talk with another woman―” and then she blushed, fearing she had offended the little bird.
“And not a bird,” smiled Fairy Lady. “I understand,” she nodded, “a bird, be she ever so wise, doesn’t understand the needs of a doll-child or the heart of her mother.”
“Thank you, dear Fairy Lady,” replied Mary Frances.
“And I know how brave you are while your mother is away, Mary Frances, child,” continued Fairy Lady, “but I’ve had orders from our King not to speak of that―so we’ll get the material ready for dolly’s apron.”
“Here is the lawn,” said Mary Frances. “Grandma gave it to me.”
“By the way,” said Fairy Lady. “Where will you put these things as you make them? You must keep them a secret, you know, until we finish the lessons, or we’ll become Never-Nevers.”
“I shall keep them in my treasure box. Mother gave it to me a year ago. It has a little key and it locks. Mother said all girls love to have a kind of a secret place to keep treasures in.”