FAIRY WELL AND PLOT OF GNOMES. 43

slender blade of grass, that hardly quivered
under the light weight as she fanned her
gauzy wings in order to balance herself grace-
fully. The swarm of gnats who attended on
her hovered together in the warm air at a
respectful distance from their haughty queen.

“Well!” said the dragon-fly impatiently, as
the brown beetle made no reply to her remark.

The good-natured beetle looked inquiringly
at the blue dragon-fly, but as he was not sure
to what she referred, and therefore was igno-
rant as to what reply she expected him to
make, wisely concluded that it was best to keep
silent.

“Stupid creature!” muttered the blue drag-
on-fly with an angry quiver of her wings, as
she said aloud: “I am waiting to see how
vexed the rover’s children will be when they
find only stones in their net.”

“Stones?” inquired the beetle mildly.

“Yes, stones,’ replied the blue dragon-fly
sharply. “The stones Toto the Slim put in
their nets in place of the fishes.”

The brown beetle might indeed look be-
wildered, for all he knew about the matter was
that the elves had put two /shes into the