"Stolen property?" repeated Dulcie in surprise. But the Bird-Fairy had flown away and disappeared. The Crab had disappeared too. Cyril stood before her, white and trembling, and the next second his little sister was safe and snug in his arms. For some time the Twins sat silent, huddled close together on the variegated carpet of clover, and cowslips, and poppies, and bluebells. "That _was_ awful!" exclaimed Dulcie at last. Cyril shivered. "You saw the Bird-Fairy; did you hear what she said?" "Yes, I understood what she said--I s'pose I understood 'cos she's a Fairy." "Well, what do you think of it, Cyril?" "I dunno; floors me completely. All I know is that I shouldn't like to go through that scare again." "It was very kind of her, wasn't it?" The boy nodded thoughtfully and answered-- "Yes, and I wonder why she did it!" Now Dulcie thought of it, he looked quite dry. She felt his knees, according to her custom, after his being out in the rain--he certainly was quite dry. She said how surprised she was that he should be so. "How did you manage it after being in the pool?" she asked. "It must be running in the sun," he explained. It had done the same for her, and her serge frock was none the worse for the sea water. By degrees they cheered up. They were so happy to be together again on that lovely Cliff, with the sea beyond sparkling so cheerfully in the bright light as though it wanted to share in their renewed gaiety. "Cyril," said Dulcie, "I'm longing to hear what happened to you when we were parted so suddenly in the Ocean during that awful storm." "All right," replied Cyril promptly. "When I looked round and found you were not on my serpentine back, I didn't know where I was when you went overboard, and therefore didn't know a bit where to search for you. I changed into a crab so as to move about in a small space and more easily for the purpose. I dodged the nets which were about--I had learned the lesson we saw given during those sports----" "I wish I had paid more attention," sighed Dulcie. "And was washed ashore," continued her brother, not heeding the interruption, "right into that pool where stones came whizzing around; it was rather beastly. I'm getting used to have stones shied at me, but that last one was the best aimed, and caught me a good crack on the back of my shell and nearly startled me out of it; it quite startled me out of the water. At the same moment I caught a glimpse of your handkerchief with the blue border, and of you racing off full pelt. I wished to change to myself--nothing happened. I couldn't make it out. I wished till I was red all over. Still nothing--nothing. Then I had an awful feeling that it was hopeless and I was in the Wizard's power." "Poor Cyril!" "Then I tore after you, shaking with fright as much as you were. I thought you were too frightened to look at me; and that you'd never do so and never recognise me." "But I did!"