ry leaves whirled around and around as the merry Elf called,
and the echoes answered her voice.

"Ho--e--oh! Cumulus! Nimbus! Can't you hear?"

The bustling Elf had no cause to be impatient, for she had scarcely
spoken ere four forms slowly rose in the shadows of the inner cave, and
began to move deliberately toward the light. The first advanced with
airy footstep, shaking about her face a cloud of long curling locks,
almost white. She was dressed in a white robe, covered with trellis-work
patterns, inwrought with thin silvery streaks. This was Elf Cirrus.

The second sister was a plump, sober-looking Elf, whose hair was
gathered in woolly puffs upon her round head, and was a curious mixture
of white and black. Her robe was covered with figures of cones,
hemispheres and white-topped mountains, which figures were touched here
and there with many bright colors. This was Cumulus.

Elf Stratus wore a grayish robe flounced with bands of divers colors,
many of them edged with bright silver and golden fringe like the rays of
the setting sun. Her dark hair was worn smooth, and was crossed by a
band of purple ribbons that girdled the crown.

Nimbus, the last of the four sisters, was a gloomy-looking dame, with a
kind look in her eyes nevertheless, and a great purse in her hand,
through the meshes of which yellow pieces of gold were seen. She was
dressed in black, had a gray cloak with fringed edges thrown over her
shoulders, and a dainty lace cap upon her head.

"Oho! here you are, then!" cried Madam Breeze as the Elves came forward.
They all bowed as she spoke, and stood quite still when she ceased.
Indeed, the sisters seemed to be curiously affected by Madam Breeze's
voice; for all the while that she was speaking they gently swayed their
bodies, and moved back and forth through the cave.

"Come now," said Madam Breeze, "you must be quite good-natured, you
know. I have a very, very important duty for you. I want to serve my
good friends the Brownies--wheeze! Here, Ensign, let me present you.
These are the Cloud Elves." Lawe bowed gravely, and the sisters each
made that graceful and dignified courtesy which our grandmothers were
taught to be the proper thing on such occasions.

"This is what I want," continued Madam Breeze; "to-morrow
morning--wheeze!--do you hear me? To-morrow morning I want to have quite
clear. Keep the Gate of the Sun wide open--hoogh! Wide, I say; for we
have some good work for my Lord Sol to do over