“What is your wish?” asked Molly and Polly, and the Fairy said, “Two white sheets, nice and neat. Then I’ll use the key and set you free!” Molly and Polly laughed and each one of them took out a neatly folded pocket-handkerchief, and they presented them to the Fairy! The handkerchiefs were just the right size for fairy sheets and the Fairy was delighted. He put the key in the lock; click, click, the door opened, and out stepped the Ink-Bottle Babies in their own park at home. They were in such a hurry to get home they forgot to say, “Thank you,” and they did not even stop to see which tree they had stepped out of. They have been looking for the tree ever since. The Ink-Bottle Babies were so pleased to see Molly and Polly, that they hugged them nearly to death. The Ink-Bottle Mamma and Papa said, “No more magic kites for our family.” Then the Ink-Bottle Mamma gave them each a cup of hot chocolate and put them to bed. CHAPTER VIII THE MAGIC ROCKING-CHAIR Hear the rain, April rain! Falling on the windowpane; Pitter, patter, all day long; Can you hear the raindrops’ song? “We call the flowers to bloom again, They are refreshed by April rain.” Said the Ink-Bottle Babies, “Without any doubt, It is time to get our umbrellas out!” When the Ink-Bottle Babies woke up next morning they cried, “Oh Ma! Oh Pa! It is raining!” Sure enough, the rain came splash, not a gentle patter, but splash! splash! splash! “Oh! oh! oh!” cried all the Ink-Bottle Babies. “How can we get to school in the rain?” The Ink-Bottle Mamma said, “I will get your umbrellas.” The Ink-Bottle Papa said, “I will get your rubbers.” Then the Ink-Bottle Babies said, “Hurrah for rubbers and umbrellas! Hurrah for a rainy day!” [Illustration: “_The little dwarf called ‘Halt!’_”] How funny they looked going along the street with their twenty-five little umbrellas bobbing up and down. As they went along they heard a voice cry, “In and out, without a doubt, I will keep dry if I but try!” The Babies looked down and there stood a little dwarf. He had a long white beard that came to the ground. He bobbed in and out among the Babies and skipped first under this umbrella, and then under that umbrella, and it kept the Babies quite busy looking for him. “Are you going to school with us?” asked Molly. “Do you know where the magic pitcher is?” asked Polly. Then the most surprising thing happened! The little dwarf called “Halt!” and every one of the Ink-Bottle Babies stood still in the pouring rain. Then the little dwarf said, “The magic pitcher has melted away; Don’t tell the secret, I beg you, pray!” Then Molly said, “How could it melt away?” Then the little dwarf said, “The magic pitcher is safe and sound, Perhaps you will find it underground.” Then Polly said, “I believe you do not know anything about the magic pitcher; you are only guessing!”