Lom reads Archie's Story. 219

Pere =

“Have | you looked by the river in the
moonlight ?” asked he.

“No, cried the children ; “ how could we?
Were in bed then.”

“Ah!” answered Ralph; “no wonder
you haven't seen them, if you go to bed
so early.”

“ But we'll ask to sit up for one night,” said
the children. “We're sure to get leave if it’s
really to see the fairies.”

“"There’s something besides that,” said
Ralph. ‘You must make a present to tempt
them. Prepare something very nicely, and
then watch if they do not come to fetch it
away.”

“How stupid we were,” said the children,
“not to have thought of that before. Of
course, that’s why they've never been near
us. But what would the fairies like best,
Ralph ?”

“ Suppose,” said Ralph, “that you were
to build them some ships. They're sure to
be always wanting new ships. Then you
can set them in a little bay of the river, all