don't know much about the
woods, do you? I could fix fifty ways to send a message to Laddie."

"How would you?" asked the Princess.

Running to the pawpaw bushes I pulled some big tender leaves. Then I
took the bark from the box and laid a leaf on it.

"Press with one of your rings," I said, "and print what you want to
say. I write to the Fairies every day that way, only I use an old
knife handle."

She tried. She spoiled two or three by bearing down so hard she cut
the leaves. She didn't even know enough to write on the frosty side,
until she was told. But pretty soon she got along so well she printed
all over two big ones. Then I took a stick and punched little holes
and stuck a piece of foxfire bloom through.

"What makes you do that?" she asked.

"That's the stamp," I explained.

"But it's my letter, and I didn't put it there."

"Has to be there or the Fairies won't like it," I said.

"Well then, let it go," said the Princess.

I put back the bark and replaced the stone, gathered up the scattered
leaves, and put the two with writing on between fresh ones.

"Now I must run," I said, "or Laddie will think the Gypsies have got me
sure."

"I'll go with you past the dry creek," she offered.

"You better not," I said. "I'd love to have you, but it would be best
for you to change their opinion, before father or mother sees you on
their land."

"Perhaps it would," said the Princess. "I'll wait here until you reach
the fence and then you call and I'll know you are in the open and feel
comfortable."

"I am most all over being afraid now," I told her.

Just to show her, I walked to the creek, climbed the gate and went down
the lane. Almost to the road I began wondering what I could do with
the letter, when looking ahead I saw Laddie coming.

"I was just starting to find you. You've been an age, child," he said.

I held up the letter.

"No one is looking," I said, "and this won't go in your pocket."

You should have seen his face.

"Where did you get it?" he asked.

I told him all about it. I told him everything--about the hair that
maybe was stronger than she thought, and that she was going to change
father's and mother's opinions, and that I put the red flower on, but
she left it; and when I was done Laddie almost hugged the life out of
me. I never did see him so happy.

"If you be very, very careful never to breathe a whisper, I'll take you
with me some day," he promised.

C