When Tony and his sister arrived they wanted to go straight to the
pond, but their ayah said they must take a sharp walk first, and as
she said this she glanced at the time-board to see when the Gardens
closed that night. It read half-past five. Poor ayah! she is the one
who laughs continuously because there are so many white children in
the world, but she was not to laugh much more that day.

Well, they went up the Baby Walk and back, and when they returned to
the time-board she was surprised to see that it now read five o'clock
for closing time. But she was unacquainted with the tricky ways of
the fairies, and so did not see (as Maimie and Tony saw at once) that
they had changed the hour because there was to be a ball to-night.
She said there was only time now to walk to the top of the Hump and
back, and as they trotted along with her she little guessed what was
thrilling their little breasts. You see the chance had come of seeing
a fairy ball. Never, Tony felt, could he hope for a better chance.

He had to feel this, for Maimie so plainly felt it for him. Her eager
eyes asked the question, "Is it to-day?" and he gasped and then
nodded. Maimie slipped her hand into Tony's, and hers was hot, but
his was cold. She did a very kind thing; she took off her scarf and
gave it to him! "In case you should feel cold," she whispered. Her
face was aglow, but Tony's was very gloomy.

As they turned on the top of the Hump he whispered to her, "I'm afraid
Nurse would see me, so I sha'n't be able to do it."

Maimie admired him more than ever for being afraid of nothing but
their ayah, when there were so many unknown terrors to fear, and she