very much. It must be such a lovely thing, to sail about on this sea of clouds, or stop, now and then, at some of those shining star islands!"

And presently they came to a broad cloudmeadow, on each side of which rose fine castles and battlemented towers, that seemed built of the moon-beams, they were so bright and so shining. They were far more beautiful than the buildings of the Fire-world, for they were so light and aërial, and tinged with delicate hues, like the bubbles that children blow.

"These are the castles in the air, which people build, but never inhabit, for they would not bear the touch of a finger; and, shining and lovely as they seem, they are for ever tenantless, Ida; and fade away with the thoughts of their mortal architects."

Ida watched one fairy structure, rich with airy domes and delicate spires, and set with wrought pinnacles and graceful tracery; and she saw it fading away, slowly, slowly, as the rainbow does in the heavens, till it leaves nothing but the blue, bright sky behind it.

Then the little boat once more expanded its

way.

bat-like wings fully, and sailed off on its downward And it went down a broad, golden path to the earth again, passing the lovely, fleecy clouds on its track, which were lit up with the brightest violet hues by the rays of the setting sun. And Ida noticed thousands of little, bright atoms floating about, and spinning merrily in the golden stream they were sailing down. The fair shape told her, these were the little dustmotes that were always dwelling in the beautiful sun-rays, as they come sliding down to the earth. When they came to the end of their sunbeam track, they found they had reached the green hillock that lay behind their cave.

"And now," said the fair shape, "I must bid you farewell; for I have so much to do I can stay no longer with you."

Ida and Otho thanked her warmly and often for their charming voyage, and took a sorrowful leave of the beautiful little vessel which had borne them so safely and so pleasantly.

"You will think of us often," said the grace

ful shape, "in your pleasant home by the sea; and, perhaps, some day, my little boat may come for you again. Meanwhile, be as happy and loving as you have hitherto been; and you will never lack friends or enjoyment. I do not think you will soon forget the wanderings you have had, or the voyage you made, with Fancy for your guide, and a Dream for your boat, through the enchanted realms of Vision-land, the Fire-world, and the Cloud-region!"

PRETTY little Daisy grew on a wide common. There were plenty of flowers of all sorts growing near; for was there not the yellow Gorse,

with its golden honey-scented blossoms; and the purple Heath, with its delicate bells; besides Foxgloves, and Harebells, and Ferns, and many more pleasant people whom I have no time to mention? But, strangely enough, it chanced that there was but one Daisy to be seen far or near. Perhaps it was because wise old mother Nature knew that there were other flowers and plants, enough and to spare, for bee and bird, and for all other wandering children of hers as well; so that she reserved her Daisies for the

blank corners, and bare churchyards of the great city, places that needed them far more.

There was a Lark who lived hard by. She had made her nest in a pretty hollow, covered with the creeping, sweet-scented wild Thyme, and sheltered by a noble Gorse-bush. There she had woven her little home of slender bents, lined carefully with soft grass; and there were her five pretty grey eggs tended, watched, and kept warm. One day, to her great joy, while she was resting there, she espied, quite close to her, the fair little Daisy, looking up with its innocent white face and golden eye, from its flat green leaves.

"Dear friend," cried the Lark, "(for your family and mine have always been friends from the early beginning), how is it we never met before ?"

"We often pass over things that lie near home," said the Daisy, smiling; "but I am only a late visitor, for I have not been here very long, so no wonder you never spied me before."