“It was all the fault of those stupid Maidens!” apologised Tibbs, as soon as the excitement of their greeting was over. “They would keep on kissing us! And it made us feel small! And, of course, when you feel small, I suppose you become so!”
“Never mind,” said their sister, soothingly, as she snuggled them under her chin against her warm neck.
“Hurry up, my dears!” cried a voice near by, “or you’ll miss the East Wind, too.”
“Why, it’s old Mr. Atom!” cried Tibbs, in surprise.
“Where? Oh, where?” said Kiddiwee.
“There, sitting on that spider web,” replied Tibbs. “See!”
“I can’t see him,” said Coppertop, who was too large. “But I do believe I had forgotten all about the East Wind. Do let us hurry.”
“You mean the West Wind,” corrected Tibbs.
“No, I don’t. It’s the East Wind we’ve to find now. Isn’t it, Mr. Atom?”
“That’s so,” he replied. “And you’d better look sharp about it. But you two boys aren’t much use that size, are you? On the bank of the river you will find growing a fruit called the mabola. It is like a strawberry. Eat it, and you’ll soon be your natural size. Ta-ta!” And before they could thank him he had disappeared.