"Where has Silverling gone?" asked Teddy. "I must find him."

The little girl shook her head. "I don't know," she said. "We
quarrelled once and he went away. He must be in some of the halls, but
I've been hunting and hunting ever since and I can't find him."

Then Teddy told her how the Counterpane Fairy had said that he must find
Silverling and Starlein and that then perhaps he could get into the
garden where the singing fountain was.

The little girl shook her head again. "I am Starlein," she said, "but I
can't take you into the garden, because I have never found the gate into
it since Silverling went away," and she went over and sat down on a
marble bench beside the wall, and all the doves settled about her on her
knees and shoulders.

"Never mind," cried Teddy, bravely, "you wait here and I'll go and find
him. I found you and I'll find him too."

Turning he ran down the hall and through an arched way into another
hall, and there, far, far down at the other end, he saw a little boy
dressed in silver, who was tossing a silver ball up into the air and
catching it again.

When he saw Teddy he slipped the ball into his pocket and ran to meet
him, leaping with delight and clapping his hands. "Oh, little boy!
little boy!" he cried, "will you come and play with me?"

"Are you Silverling?" cried Teddy, breathlessly.