“Perhaps it was Harriett,” said mamma, and then she saw that he was awake and began to speak of something else.
Teddy wished his mother could see the Counterpane Fairy herself, and then she would know that it was a real fairy and not a make-believe. When he saw the Counterpane Fairy again he was going to ask her if he mightn’t take his mother into one of the stories with him.
He was thinking of her so hard that it did not surprise him at all to hear her little thin voice just back of the counterpane hill. “Oh dear, dear! and the worst of it is that I hardly get to the top before I have to come down again.”
“Is that you, Counterpane Fairy?” called Teddy.
“Yes it is,” said the fairy. “I’ll be there in a minute;” and soon she appeared above the top of the hill, and seated herself on it to rest, and catch her breath. “Dear, dear!” she said, “but it’s a steep hill.”
“Mrs. Fairy,” said Teddy, “I want to ask you something. You know my mother?”
“Yes,” said the Counterpane Fairy, “I know who she is.”
“Well,” said Teddy, “she’s just gone over into the sewing-room, and I want to know whether you won’t let me take her into a square sometime.”
“My mercy, no!” said the fairy. “Have you forgotten what I told you the first time I came?”
“What was that?”