one knows that, except the person who's writing this story," said
Shaggy. "But we won't find anything--not even supper--unless we travel
on. Here's a path. Let's take it and see where it leads to."

Chapter Seven

Polychrome's Pitiful Plight

The Rain King got too much water in his basin and spilled some over the
brim. That made it rain in a certain part of the country--a real hard
shower, for a time--and sent the Rainbow scampering to the place to
show the gorgeous colors of his glorious bow as soon as the mist of
rain had passed and the sky was clear.

The coming of the Rainbow is always a joyous event to earth folk, yet
few have ever seen it close by. Usually the Rainbow is so far distant
that you can observe its splendid hues but dimly, and that is why we
seldom catch sight of the dancing Daughters of the Rainbow.

In the barren country where the rain had just fallen there appeared to
be no human beings at all; but the Rainbow appeared, just the same, and
dancing gayly upon its arch were the Rainbow's Daughters, led by the
fairylike Polychrome, who is so dainty and beautiful that no girl has
ever quite equalled her in loveliness.

Polychrome was in a merry mood and danced down the arch of the bow to
the ground, daring her sisters to follow her. Laughing and gleeful,
they also touched the ground with their twinkling feet; but all the
Daughters of the Rainbow knew that this was a dangerous pastime, so
they quickly climbed upon their bow again.

All but Polychrome. Though the sweetest and merriest of them all, she
was likewise the most reckless. Moreover, it was an unusual sensation
to pat the cold, damp earth with her rosy toes. Before she realized it
the bow had lifted and disappeared in the billowy blue sky, and here
was Polychrome standing helpless upon a rock, her gauzy draperies
floating about her like brilliant cobwebs and not a soul--fairy or
mortal--to help her regain her lost bow!

"Dear me!" she exclaimed, a frown passing across her pretty face, "I'm
caught again. This is the second time my carelessness has left me on
earth while my sisters returned to our Sky Palaces. The first time I
enjoyed some pleasant adventures, but this is a lonely, forsaken
country and I shall be very unhappy until my Rainbow comes again and I
can climb aboard. Let me think what is best to be done."

She crouched low upon the flat rock, drew her draperies about her and
bowed her head.

It was in this position th