She walked to a door that was half hidden behind a rich drapery, and, pushing it open, showed Dot that it led to the laughing chamber. It was with real pleasure that the girl saw her friend Tot, who had at that moment just risen from his bed. The boy eagerly showed her all the gay, mirthful faces in his room, and they made Dot laugh out of pure sympathy. Then she brought Tot into her own dainty chamber, where he sat upon a chair and heard an orchestra play a merry schottische. But Twinkle and Scollops were now impatient to hurry them away, so soon they descended the stairway again and were ushered into the royal banquet room. The Queen had arrived there before them, and her was face was smiling as sweetly as ever. She set Dot upon one side of her at the big table and Tot upon the other side. This table was spread with delicate glassware and rare vases of fragrant flowers, and the dishes they ate from they perceived were of solid gold. "How did you like your chamber?" the Queen asked Dot. "It is delightful," she answered. "I did not think there could be such a beautiful room in all the world." "And were you also pleased?" inquired the Wax Doll, turning toward the boy. "My room's fine," replied Tot; "it made me laugh!" The dinner was now served, and certainly no more delicious meal was ever eaten by children, unless they chanced to dine with the Queen of Merryland. There were many courses of rich and rare edibles, and each dish Dot and Tot thought could not be surpassed until they tasted the next one. "Really," said Dot with an admiring glance at her Majesty, "you must be a fairy." "To be sure I am!" laughed the pretty Queen. "Still, you are not like any fairy I have read about," continued the child, gravely. "No, I suppose not," returned the Wax Doll. "You must know that fairies are as different from one another as other people are, and the reason you have not read about me is because the folk who write fairy tales have never been to Merryland." "That is true," agreed Dot. "Tot and I were the first to discover you." "Yes, and you were very wrong to do so," added the Queen, reprovingly. "But I have used my thinking machine, as I promised, and it has shown me an easy way out of my difficulties." "What will you do with us?" asked Dot, looking at the Queen so anxiously that she forgot to drink her nectar. "I'm going to adopt you," was the calm reply. "Adopt us!" exclaimed the girl, wonderingly. "Yes, that is the only thing to do. You are going to be my adopted daughter, the Princess Dot of Merryland; and your companion must become my adopted son, Prince Tot of Merryland." "But must we always live here?" enquired Dot. "Can't we go home again?" demanded Tot.