ach other many
yards off across the court, their hands met.

"There! I thought so!" exclaimed Richard triumphantly. "Now, Alice, I
don't believe it is more than a foot or two down to the court below,
though it looks like a hundred feet. Keep fast hold of my hand, and
jump when I count three." But Alice drew her hand from him in sudden
dismay; whereupon Richard said, "Well, I will try first," and jumped.
The same moment his cheery laugh came to Alice's ears, and she saw him
standing safe on the ground, far below.

"Jump, dear Alice, and I will catch you," said he.

"I can't; I am afraid," answered she.

"The old man is somewhere near you. You had better jump," said Richard.

Alice sprang from the wall in terror, and only fell a foot or two into
Richard's arms. The moment she touched the ground, they found
themselves outside the door of a little cottage which they knew very
well, for it was only just within the wood that bordered on their
village. Hand in hand they ran home as fast as they could. When they
reached a little gate that led into her father's grounds, Richard bade
Alice good-bye. The tears came in her eyes. Richard and she seemed to
have grown quite man and woman in Fairyland, and they did not want to
part now. But they felt that they must. So Alice ran in the back way,
and reached her own room before anyone had missed her. Indeed, the last
of the red had not quite faded from the west.

As Richard crossed the market-place on his way home, he saw an
umbrella-man just selling the last of his umbrellas. He thought the man
gave him a queer look as he passed, and felt very much inclined to
punch his head. But remembering how useless it had been to punch the
goblin's head, he thought it better not.

In reward of their courage, the Fairy Queen sent them permission to
visit Fairyland as often as they pleased; and no goblin or fairy was
allowed to interfere with them.

For Peaseblossom and Toadstool, they were both banished from court, and
compelled to live together, for seven years, in an old tree that had
just one green leaf upon it.

Toadstool did not mind it much, but Peaseblossom did.

THE SHADOWS

Old Ralph Rinkelmann made his living by comic sketches, and all but
lost it again by tragic poems. So he was just the man to be chosen king
of the fairies, for in Fairyland the sovereignty is elective.

It is no doubt very strange that fairies should desire to have a mortal
king; but t