"You ugly grubby little things!" remarked Rosella as she passed them.
"They are only lying low at present. They will be lovely Painted Ladies and visit the court of Fairy Spring," replied Love of Goodwill, hovering again at her side. "And look! There are the baby snowdrops asleep in their earthy cots. They, too, will awake soon and get up. I helped their mother to get up as she was in such a hurry to see the world. I'm afraid she will have got nipped by King Frost for her impatience. Farewell—I must go and see what is happening."
Rosella followed the sunbeam—into which the Sprite had vanished—and at once felt the keen air blowing on her face, and knew she was above ground once more. Everything was all white again. She sat down upon a piece of rock to rest, and noticed the sunbeam pointing straight at a little woe-begone snowdrop sticking up out of the snow before her. And to her joy the Snow Man was close by calling "Rosella! Rosella!" in the echo's anxious tone she had heard before—so he must have wanted her then, badly.
"Yes, your Majesty!" she murmured.
He bent over her kindly. "There, little lady," he continued, "drink some of this now!" and something cold yet stinging was poured gently down her throat.
"Thank you, your Majesty. I did feel tired and queer, but your snow broth has made me all right." She said it quite gratefully. Then her eyes opened wide and she cried in amazement—
"Grandfather! Why it's you! You were the Snow Man all the time! And look! there's my muff up there that I left in the wall!"
"But for that sticking up we might never have found our little treasure," replied old Mr. Silverton. He picked her up and, holding her aloft, showed her to her anxious mother, who came hurrying on the scene.
"Don't shiver so, dearie," exclaimed Mrs. Silverton, passionately embracing the child, as hot tears dropped on her daughter's face. "You must be perished with cold, but this nice sunshine which has come out now will do you good."
"I didn't feel cold. It was quite nice and warm under the snow as you said, Mother—and so wonderful!"