"I 'sure you it was Blacky made me do it. He pushed me into it, and I foughted him till I was tarred out."
She had brought Blacky with her to Fibo on her last visit, and he was glad to think that he had gone for good.
"I'm very glad to welcome you to my house, Cherubine," said Fibo quite gravely, "and I hope you're going to make a long stay with us."
Dreamikins put her head on one side as if listening to somebody.
"She says she likes me so much, Fibo, that she's going to stay with me till she takes me to heaven."
"I hope that you and she will grow old together, then," said Fibo.
Dreamikins looked quite shocked.
"Oh, Fibo dear, angels never grow! I'll tell you a little more about her. Mummy told me I had a guardian angel, so she said I didn't want any of my 'make ups.' Mummy doesn't unnerstand like you; she always calls them 'make ups.' So I thought about it a lot, and God told me He wanted me to be good. It makes Him so uncomfor'ble when I'm naughty. So I asked Him didn't He think He could send me a darling little angel to take care of me, instead of the grave grown-up one that always hangs over children in beds. I asked Him to try to do it, because I must have somebody to play with. And He said He'd lend me Cherubine. And she came down, and tucked her wings under my pillow, and kissed me, and we sleeps together, and when I wake she wakes. And now, please, may I show her Whiskers? And oh, Fibo dear, are you very glad to see us?"
"Yes, I truly am; and I have a surprise for you. I can keep secrets as well as you."
Dreamikins danced up and down on her toes.