"Oh, Nan," said Charlotte, "how can you?"
"How can I what? Charlotte doesn't know about the fairies as we do," she whispered to Jean, "and she doesn't believe in the Guardian Dog. Don't you know all fairy dells have some sort of guardian? Sometimes it's an owl; sometimes another kind of bird or beast. This one has a dog, but he wouldn't hurt you unless you came to steal the fairy treasures. He had to find out why you were coming to his fairies' dell without being invited."
Jean looked so troubled that Charlotte said, "What nonsense, Nan. How can you make her believe such stuff?"
"We like to believe it," said Nan, comfortably. "Now let me set you down here, Jean," she said, as she picked up her little sister in her arms. "I am afraid you're giving your lame ankle a set-back. Rest it on that mossy cushion and we'll read to you about 'The Cat that walks by herself.' I'll go over to that tree and whisper a charm first, so the fairies won't be offended at your coming." She gravely took her way to the tree and whispered loud enough for Jean to hear:
"Fairies bright, fairies light,
Hiding from us out of sight,
She who seeks your fairy dell
Is a friend who loves you well."
"There," she said, "that is all right. Now let us read."
Charlotte looked at her with a tolerant smile. "How babyish," she said. "I really think you half believe it all yourself."