"Where shall I hide them?" she asked anxiously. "I am so afraid of any one finding them, or taking them, and there's nowhere in the little room where I sleep that I can lock up. Aunt comes in any time and looks all about, to see that I keep things tidy."
"Quite right of her," said the fairy. "I can help you to keep your treasures in perfect safety, much more so than if you locked them up in the strongest box that ever was made. Hold them out—one in each hand."
Merran did so—the fairy touched them both, first the umbrella, then the parasol, murmuring some word or words that the child could not hear.
"Now," she said, "I have made them become invisible to all eyes but your own, or those of the one to whom you may some day confide your secret, as you have permission to do. See—just to prove it to you, I will for a moment make them invisible even to yourself. Shut your eyes."
Merran did so.
"Open," said the Sunshine lady.
Merran obeyed, but gave a cry of dismay.
"They've gone, they've gone," she exclaimed, "and yet I didn't feel you touching them."
The fairy laughed.
"Wink your eyes," she said. "Now look again," and there sure enough were the magic gifts safe and sound.