mud off his nose. "You see, I just rolled myself up in some soft clay, and
then made it round like a stone. Then I stayed in the sun until it was
baked as hard as a rock, and then I rolled along here to wait for you.
Very simple, indeed. But, now, do you believe I am a fairy prince?" And
they all declared they did, even Uncle Wiggily, and Alice said three
times: "We salute thee, fairy prince." Oh, it was as good as a play!

Well, now, let's see about to-morrow night. How about a story of the rat
who took the eggs? Do you think you would like that? Very well, then, you
shall hear it, providing my golden slipper doesn't fall off.




STORY XIX

THE RATS WHO TOOK THE EGGS


Nothing had happened at the Wibblewobble house in several days, and Jimmie
and Lulu and Alice were beginning to feel that it was about time they went
off on another picnic, or else tried to find the fairy prince again. But,
one day, just as Jimmie was looking for his baseball and his catching
glove, his mamma came out of the pantry, where she had gone to get some
dishes to set the table.

"Did any of you children take my eggs?" she asked, and she looked very
severely at them.

"What? Are the eggs gone?" asked Aunt Lettie, the old lady goat.