“What’s the matter?” asked Nimbus.
“I was just wondering if the Stars are all really people,” said Billy.
“Really people!” said Nimbus. “Well I should say they are. And all the Clouds are, too. You see that bunch over there? Well, that is Mrs. Pink-Cloud and Mrs. White-Cloud and Mrs. Pearl-Cloud and Mrs. Mackerel-Cloud and Mrs. Yellow-Cloud sitting together and sewing on party dresses for their children to go to the Star children’s birthday party. It’s warm over there where they are.”
“Oh!” said Billy. “Are they all named?”
“Named! Of course they are! And every Star, too. But nobody can remember them but their own mother, Mrs. Moon. Even their father, Mr. Sun, gets confused sometimes and mixes the boys’ names with the girls’.”
“Are the Clouds people, too?” asked Billy wonderingly.
“Just as much people as you are,” answered Nimbus seriously. “Old General Gray-Cloud and old General Thunder-Cloud are great fighters and have awful battles. You can hear them down on the Earth sometimes. It sounds like thunder and looks like lightning from where you live, but from where we live—Oh, my!”
“Dear me,” said Billy, “how very interesting! And do the mothers teach their children to behave the way our mothers do on the Earth, or are they allowed to do as they please in the sky?”
“Well, you do show your ignorance!” said Nimbus, with such severity that Billy quite blushed for himself. “Why let me tell you what I saw only yesterday when I was under the lilac bush waiting for you.”
“Did you know about me before I saw you?” asked Billy, much flattered.