“Yes, dear,” said grandpa again. “What else?”
“Well, I'm skipping and jumping along, for I'm happy to be in the house of the Lord. And there are three little fairies, all dressed in silver and gold, and with paper-flowers in their hair, and long diamond bangles hanging like fringe on their skirts. They're following me, and they're skipping and jumping, too. They're the three fairies in the verse.”
“The three fairies?” Grandpa seemed puzzled.
“Yes. It says 'Surely goodness and mercy,' you know.”
“But that makes only two, doesn't it?” said grandpa, still puzzled.
Missy laughed at his stupidity.
“Why, no!—Three!” She counted them off on her fingers: “Surely—and Goodness—and Mercy. Don't you see?”
“Oh, yes, dear—I see now,” said grandpa, very slowly. “I wasn't counting Surely.”
Just then came a chuckle from the doorway. Missy hadn't seen Pete enter, else she would have been less free in revealing her real thoughts. What had he overheard?
Still laughing, Pete advanced into the room.