“All right,” agreed Lulu.  “I will.  My name is Lulu, but you may call me Lu, if you wish.”

“Good,” answered the fish, turning a double somersault in the water and wiggling her right fin as if trying to shake hands.  “Now we are well acquainted.  And may I ask where you are going?”

So Lulu told the fish girl about having to go to the store, and Fan seemed quite pleased to hear it.  The two swam on together for some distance, the fish just under the water and Lulu on top.  Pretty soon Lulu asked Fan where she was going, and the gold fish replied: 

“I am going to the drug store for some sweet flag root for the fairy prince,” and once more the fish girl turned a double somersault and opened her mouth wide, for she had a cold in her head, in consequence of being so wet.  But as it is very difficult to write a story and make a gold fish talk as if she had a cold in the head, I have decided to make Fan talk just ordinarily.  You never would have known anything about the cold if I hadn’t mentioned it, so it’s just as well.

“Pardon me,” said Lulu, just like a telephone girl, “but did I understand you to say you were going for some sweet flag root for the fairy prince?”

“Yes,” answered Fan Tail, “that’s what I said.”

“But!” cried Lulu.  “A fairy prince!  I never knew there were fairies in this pond!”

“Neither did lots of other persons,” replied Fan.  “It’s supposed to be a secret, but I’ll tell you.  And, another thing.  There is something strange about this fairy prince.  Do you promise never to tell?”

“Yes,” answered Lulu.  “Cross my heart I’ll never tell,” and she lifted one leg out of the water and crossed her heart as well as she could.

“Then,” said the gold fish in a whisper, “If you will come with me I will show you the fairy prince.  That is, after I go to the drug store for him.  But mind, it’s a great secret.”

So the two swam on together, but Lulu felt sad.  And the reason she felt sad was this:  Her sister Alice, who was very romantic—­that is, she continually wanted things to happen that never could happen—­Alice always had wished to see a fairy prince.  Now, unless Fan would let Lulu tell the secret, Alice would never see a prince.  And to think he was right in the same pond with her!  Oh, it’s dreadful to have a secret you can’t tell even to your own sister, I think.

Lulu sighed so that she made quite a wave in the pond, and when the fish saw this she knew something was the matter.  So she asked Lulu what it was, and Lulu told her how Alice was just crazy to see a fairy prince, and had been dreaming of one for ever and ever so long.

“And I’ve promised not to tell,” ended Lulu.  “Poor Alice!  How disappointed she will be not to see a real, live fairy!”

“Well, perhaps it is too bad,” admitted Fan Tail, and she sneezed so hard that the water flew up in a spray, just like a fountain.  “Perhaps I shall let you off from your promise,” the gold fish went on.  “Yes, I think you may bring Alice to see the fairy prince.”