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XXVII

'Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home."

-J. Howard Payne.

H! I am so glad you have come back safe!" exclaimed Lily, who was waiting

for them in the garden. "I have watched for you so long! Now let us go into the house, where we cannot see the storm."

"Wait till I get my canary," said Janet.

She caught the little bird easily, for it was very tame, and placed it in its wooden cage to carry home with her.

"She didn't bring it here to leave, you know," said Prue, fearing that Lily might feel sorry to see it go; but Lily was smiling and listening to the singing of the snow-birds.

The children then entered the house together by the door which led into the playroom.

"I think we had better go home," said Janet; "we have had a beautiful time, Lily, but we must go now."

"Provided the door opens," said Prue.

"I wonder if we left anything in the sleepingroom," said Janet, going to take a look at the row of pretty beds. beds. "Why, Lily! see that dark head on the pillow! someone is in bed; who is it?" Lily stepped forward rather timidly to look, and then she began to laugh.

"It is that little boy, Polo!" she said.

Janet went to him and shook him vigorously.

"Wake up, Polo !" she exclaimed, "see how you have tumbled the nice bed.

here?"

What are you doing

"I went to sleep," replied Polo, drowsily, rubbing but they didn't find me, did they?"

his eyes;

66

"We are going home now," said Prue, "and you must come too. Brenda and Henjee and Meemee went long, long ago.'

So, Prue leading Polo, and Janet carrying the canary, they went to the snow-door, and met the snow-children just entering, laughing merrily, and quite ready for more games.

"We are going now," said Janet, "we have staid too long. We have had a good visit, and now we must go.

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The snow-children tried to detain them, but in vain.

"Good-by, dear Lily!" "Good-by, all!" the Kanter girls called back, as they ran out under the open sky. And then the door in the snow-wall closed behind them, and they were among the little round huts again. Polo ran home at once, for he was tired and hungry.

"Come, birds, come!" cried Janet, without waiting, and the great, superb birds, circling in the air, came gently downward with the chariot. The Kanter girls climbed into it, side by side, and in five minutes they were hundreds of miles away from the land of snow, and going in at the door of their own little home.

"Did the Kanter girls always keep the invisible rings, and the plaid aprons, and the chariot?"

They did, until they grew up.

"Did they take more journeys?"

A great many more, but the record was lost.

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