As they sailed on Rowena began to hear music, as of a chorus of children singing. How charming it was! How joyful it sounded! She wished it might go on forever. She looked all about to locate the sweet sounds, but could see nothing. The music grew ever louder and fuller, so she knew that they must be approaching it, and at last Rowena saw before her a scene so wonderful that it made her eyes wide with delight.
Lily-bud took her hand and they stepped from the cloud upon the edge of an orchard. Some of the trees bore orange blossoms, some oranges, others a variety of fruits, and on the thick green turf children were skipping hand in hand, in circles, and singing as they went. How fragrant the air was; what brilliant plumage showed as birds flitted from tree to tree urged by the children's songs to break forth in their own melodies.
Rowena clasped her hands and looked at her companion. "What," she asked, "made you leave all this and come to me by the muddy Polawee?"
"Love," replied Lily-bud.
Now the singing children caught sight of the stranger and ceased their music and skipping. There were boys among them, and Rowena feared boys. She shrank and would have hidden behind Lily-bud had she not been so small. Lily-bud saw her expression.
"Remember the rule," she said.
So Rowena, desperately afraid she would be pelted with something, although there seemed only fruit to throw there, looked up and to the right. Sitting among the branches of orange blossoms she saw a white dove, and the dove, seeing her look at him, flew down to her band, and this made Rowena so happy that she didn't care what was done to her if only they wouldn't frighten this lovely white creature away.
"A new child, a new child," cried the children and they ran to meet Rowena, who put up her other hand to guard the dove, and shrank back.
"Come and sing, come and sing," cried the children. "The dove can sit on your head." And wonderful to relate the white bird immediately flew up and perched on Rowena's red locks, while two children seized her hands and led her into the circle.
"I don't know the song," she said, half-crying with surprise and happiness.