was, she spoke to comfort him.

For a moment he felt abashed that he had so plainly shown the longing
in his heart, then as she asked again, he cried:

"I want to be _someone_. I want a chance to be _something_ besides
Gyp, the gypsy boy."

"Oh, then that's almost granted _now_!" she cried in quick relief,
"because I heard the teacher say, the other day:

"'That boy will get there! That boy will be someone worth while, and
I mean to help him.'"

"Did she say _that_?" cried Gyp, his eyes showing how little he dreamed
that the work that he was doing was being noticed.

"She truly did," said Sprite, "so while I couldn't grant your wish,
I _could_ tell you that it would come true, and I'm glad of that."

"So'm I," agreed Gyp, "but don't yer tell any of the others that I
thought yer was a fairy, will yer?"

She promised faithfully, and when he had thanked her for what she had
told him, and for the promise that she had just made, he turned and,
as usual, ran off to the woods.

Sprite stood watching him as he ran, like the wind across the fields,
and even as she looked he turned, paused a moment, and waved his hand
to the little waiting figure.