126 The Catskill Fairtes.

drinking tea, after the day’s labors, and the children passed
open doors, which afforded glimpses of tables, shelves, and
earthenware, all spotlessly pure.

“ Aunt Katrine was surprised to see the prizes the children
had captured at the expense of being late to supper. She put
on her spectacles, and held up her hands. ‘I never saw doves
with chains around their necks,’ she declared.

“«T shall take mine off, said Otto, resolutely.

“He untwined the chain, and the dove immediately changed
to a little girl, with soft brown hair, her dress of some delicate
fabric, like a cobweb, embroidered with silver stars, with silver
shoes on her feet, and a cap of silver on her head. She was
unlike any one that Aunt Katrine had ever scen, and the
children thought her an angel.

“ The other dove no sooner beheld the transformation of its
mate than it gave a loud note of alarm, and, slipping through
Sophia's fat fingers, soared high in the air. Sophia was staring
so earnestly at the stranger child that she did not recover her
wits until her pet was out of reach.

“The dove child, remaining below, gazed about wonderingly
for a moment, then sprang up into the air, and tried to snatch
the chain from Otto’s grasp. She nearly succeeded in doing
so, but the boy was larger and stronger, and held it in his grasp.

“This belongs to me, and you do, too, he said, frowning.
‘When I am a man I shall take the chain to Rotterdam, and
sell it for a pot of money.’

“Aunt Kate and Sophia were very kind to the stranger.
They stroked her fair hair and admired her dress, while greedy
Otto ran away to hide the precious chain in a particular nook