And Mamma Cat found out that Fido was a very good friend, too.  She grew to trust him so much she would even let him help wash the kittens’ faces.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

RAGGEDY ANN AND THE FAIRIES’ GIFT

All the dolls were tucked snugly in their little doll-beds for the night and the large house was very still.

Every once in a while Fido would raise one ear and partly open one eye, for his keen dog sense seemed to tell him that something was about to happen.

Finally he opened both eyes, sniffed into the air and, getting out of his basket and shaking himself, he trotted across the nursery to Raggedy Ann’s bed.

Fido put his cold nose in Raggedy Ann’s neck.  She raised her head from the little pillow.

“Oh!  It’s you, Fido!” said Raggedy Ann.  “I dreamed the tin soldier put an icicle down my neck!”

“I can’t sleep,” Fido told Raggedy Ann.  “I feel that something is about to happen!”

“You have been eating too many bones lately, Fido, and they keep you awake,” Raggedy replied.

“No, it isn’t that.  I haven’t had any bones since the folks had beef last Sunday.  It isn’t that.  Listen, Raggedy!”

Raggedy Ann listened.

There was a murmur as if someone were singing, far away.

“What is it?” asked Fido.

“Sh!” cautioned Raggedy Ann, “It’s music.”

It was indeed music, the most beautiful music Raggedy Ann had ever heard.

It grew louder, but still seemed to be far away.

Raggedy Ann and Fido could hear it distinctly and it sounded as if hundreds of voices were singing in unison.

“Please don’t howl, Fido,” Raggedy Ann said as she put her two rag arms around the dog’s nose.  Fido usually “sang” when he heard music.

But Fido did not sing this time; he was filled with wonder.  It seemed as if something very nice was going to happen.

Raggedy Ann sat upright in bed.  The room was flooded with a strange, beautiful light and the music came floating in through the nursery window.

Raggedy Ann hopped from her bed and ran across the floor, trailing the bed clothes behind her.  Fido followed close behind and together they looked out the window across the flower garden.

There among the flowers were hundreds of tiny beings, some playing on tiny reed instruments and flower horns, while others sang.  This was the strange, wonderful music Raggedy and Fido had heard.

“It’s the Fairies!” said Raggedy Ann.  “To your basket quick, Fido!  They are coming this way!” And Raggedy Ann ran back to her bed, with the bed clothes trailing behind her.

Fido gave three jumps and he was in his basket, pretending he was sound asleep, but one little black eye was peeping through a chink in the side.

Raggedy jumped into her bed and pulled the covers to her chin, but lay so that her shoe-button eyes could see towards the window.