They were all of about the same size as Merrimeg, and they were dressed in long dark blue gowns, fine as spider webs, which rippled around them in the cool air. They were barefoot and bareheaded. Each one had long black hair streaming down to her waist, and a pair of great wide wings standing out straight from her shoulders, like the wings of an enormous butterfly, all blue and silver. One of the children had her arms about the one who was crying. They all looked up at Merrimeg as she opened the door. “You’re Merrimeg, aren’t you?” said the one who had her arms about the other. Merrimeg stepped out into the street under the stars. “Yes,” said she. “What is she crying about? Are you lost?” “You’d--better--tell her--who we are, Pennie,” said the one who had been crying, choking back her sobs. “We aren’t lost,” said the one who hadn’t yet spoken. “We’re looking for our star.” “We’ve lost it,” said the one who had been crying, breaking out into sobs again. “Don’t cry, Winnie,” said the one who had her arms about her. “She’ll help us find it, I know she will.” “Why is she crying?” said Merrimeg again. “She’s Winnie, and I’m Florrie,” said the one who had just spoken, “and this one’s Pennie. Don’t you know who we are?” “No,” said Merrimeg. “We’re the starlight fairies,” said Florrie. “_Now_ do you know?” “No,” said Merrimeg. “I thought everybody knew,” said Florrie. “Every evening at dark we fly along the sky up there and hang out the stars. Haven’t you ever seen us?” “No,” said Merrimeg. “I suppose they can’t see us from down here, and we’ve never been away from the stars before.” “I wish we’d never come,” said Winnie, crying again. “I’ll tell you,” said Pennie. “To-night we were hanging out the stars, and Winnie--poor Winnie!” “I didn’t mean to,” sobbed Winnie. “I didn’t mean to!” “What did she do?” said Merrimeg. “She dropped one of her stars,” said Pennie. “It’s gone!” sobbed Winnie. “And I can’t go back without it!” “It fell and fell and fell and fell,” said Florrie, “and then we couldn’t see it any more. It dropped down here, somewhere near here, we’re sure of it.” “Do you see up there?” said Pennie. “Up there where there’s a wide dark space between the stars?” She pointed to the sky, directly overhead. There was a space there, about as big as a blanket, without any star. “Yes, I see,” said Merrimeg. “That’s where the star belongs,” said Pennie. “We’ll never find it!” said Winnie, putting her face down on Florrie’s shoulder. “I’m sure we shall,” said Florrie, “if Merrimeg will only help us. We don’t know anything about this dreadful earth place, but she knows.” “Will you help us?” said Pennie. “If I can,” said Merrimeg. “Then come along,” said Pennie. “Can’t I put on my clothes first?” said Merrimeg. “There’s no time,” said Pennie. “Suppose daylight should come before we find it? What _would_ we do?”