h up our brittle friend, here."

So they made the little laugh secure in the basket, and went on toward
the Smithy. It kept them all amused by the happy, ridiculous little
sounds it made, giggling and scuttling and fluttering about in the
basket. Even the Brown Teddy-Bear smiled once or twice.

Toward sundown they reached the Smithy, and Schlorge had soon turned
his anvil into an operating table, on which they laid the
uncomplaining little sufferer. The Snimmy's wife said there were
plenty of onions at home in the sugar-bowl, and Schlorge offered to
send a Gunkus after them; but the Kewpie would not hear of it, so
Schlorge mended him quite quickly and neatly without an anaesthetic at
all. He declared himself able to walk, at once, but they persuaded him
to let the Gunki carry him to the gate on the stretcher. And so they
all escorted Sara and her dolls back to the dimple-holder in state.

The Snoodle was awake, and howling lonesomely; but he was soon
frisking happily about their feet. The Plynck flew at once to her
branch and looked into the pool, and there sat her Echo.

"Have a pleasant day?" the latter asked, inscrutably.

But the Plynck was so puzzled that she said nothing at all. However,
when she was leaving the Garden, Sara heard her say to the Teacup, as
she slipped on an iris-colored kimono and shook down her back plumes,

"I think I won't break any rules tomorrow. I think I'll just rest."

Chapter VII
Accepting an Invitation

The next morning Sara took with her only the Kewpie and the Baby. The
Japanese doll was perfectly willing either to go or stay; he was not
at all temperamental, and anything suited him. She could tell from the
Billiken's smile that he didn't mind staying in the least; and the
Brown Teddy-Bear looked tired. He couldn't talk, of course, on the
everyday-side of the ivory doors; but with the new insight she had
acquired into his character, Sara felt sure his expression meant, "I
think I'd rather just sit in the corner. At my age a little excitement
goes a long way." As for the Kewpie, Sara was determined to take him,
as a reward for the distinguished fortitude he had shown the day
before; and the Baby, on the other hand, had behaved so badly that she
felt uneasy about leaving him. If he should act that way again--for
instance, when Lucy disturbed him in dusting the room--why, Lucy might
spank him! So the Kewpie was