“We didn’t mean to do any harm,” said Pennie.
“And after he was so kind as to bring our star back to us, too,” said Winnie.
“Is this your star?” cried out the water sprite.
“Yes, yes! It’s mine!” said Winnie.
“Then you’ll never get it! You shan’t have it!” cried the water sprite, angrier than ever. “You’ll see what I’m going to do with it! You’ll never get it again! Ah! there she goes!”
He swung the star by the sling in his hand, and gave it a great fling, and away it flew over the tree tops, in a beautiful bright curve, higher and higher, and then lower and lower.
But he was greatly mistaken if he thought he could get rid of the star in any such way as that. Quick as a flash all three of the starlight fairies were in the air, and off like three arrows over the tree tops after the star. Before Merrimeg knew what was happening they were out of sight, and the star was gone.
The water sprite was so astonished that he forgot he was angry.
“Who are they?” he said, in a kind of whisper.
“They’re the starlight fairies,” said Merrimeg. “They hang out the stars each night, and to-night they dropped that star by accident, and it fell into your pool. If they don’t get it back they can’t go home.”