Freddie inquired somewhat anxiously.

"Well, what about them?" Chirpy asked him. "What do you mean?"

"They haven't brought any lights," Freddie pointed out. "So what's the
use of their being in the procession?"

"Oh, that's all right!" Chirpy Cricket assured him. "They're going to
carry the banners."




VI

THE BANNERS


When Chirpy Cricket mentioned "banners," Mehitable Moth, Kiddie Katydid,
and Moses Mosquito stepped forward with looks of pride on their faces--
so far as one could see their faces by the glimmer of the flashing
lights of the Firefly family. And at the same time Freddie Firefly
shouldered his way through the crowd and plucked at Chirpy Cricket's
sleeve.

"Don't you think--" he asked earnestly--"don't you think I ought to
carry one of the banners myself?"

"Perhaps so!" answered Chirpy Cricket. He was so taken aback that he
really didn't know what else to say. "Which one do you prefer?"