m the fairies' on it. Good!" agreed Marjorie. "It's
exactly the sort of thing that Eric will like."

CHAPTER XIX

A Potato Walk

Dona's suggestion was adopted, and she and Marjorie began a little
system of correspondence with Eric. At their request Elaine bought a
small present and left the parcel with the attendant at the refreshment
kiosk, who promised to give it to him.

"I know the child quite well by sight," she said. "A delicate little
fellow in an invalid carriage. They used to pass here two or three times
a week last summer, and sometimes they'd stop at the kiosk and the girl
would buy him an orange or some sweets. I hadn't seen him for months
till he went by a few days ago. Yes, I'll be sure to stop him when he
passes."

That the girl kept her word was evident, for a week afterwards she
handed Elaine a letter addressed to "The Fairy Ladies". Elaine
forwarded it to Marjorie and Dona. It was written in a round,
childish hand, and ran:

"DARLING BLUEBELL AND SILVERSTAR,

"I like the puzzle you sent me. I often think about you. I love
you very much. I hope I shall see you again. I played fairies
all yesterday and pretended you were here.

"With love from
"ERIC."

"Dear little man!" said Marjorie. "I expect it's taken him a long time
to write this. We'll buy him a blotter and some fancy paper and
envelopes and leave them at the kiosk for him."

"I wish we could go to the cove and see him again," said Dona.

It happened that for the next two exeats Aunt Ellinor had arranged a
tennis party or some other engagement for her nieces, so that it was not
possible to take a walk on the cliffs. They left a supply of little
presents, however, at the kiosk, so that something could be given to
Eric every time he passed. The assistant was almost as interested as
Marjorie and Dona.

"He looks out for those parcels now," she assured them. "You should just
see his face when I run out and give them to him. I believe he'd be ever
so disappointed if there was nothing. The girl that wheels him left a
message for you. His mother thanks you for your kindness; and will you
please excuse his writing, because it isn't very good for him and takes
him such a long time. He's never been able to go to school."

"Poor little chap!" laughed Dona. "I expect someone has to sit by him
and tell him how to spell every word. Never mind, he can draw fairies
on the notepaper we sent him. We'll get him a