The Counterpane Fairy, page 29 by Katharine Pyle
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Turning he ran down the hall and through an arched way into another hall, and there, far, far down at the other end, he saw a little boy dressed in silver, who was tossing a silver ball up into the air and catching it again.
When he saw Teddy he slipped the ball into his pocket and ran to meet him, leaping with delight and clapping his hands. "Oh, little boy! little boy!" he cried, "will you come and play with me?"
"Are you Silverling?" cried Teddy, breathlessly.
"Yes," said the little boy.
"Then come! come quick!" cried Teddy. "Starlein is just around the corner, and she is waiting for you to come and show us the way into the garden where the singing fountain is."
He caught Silverling by the hand and without another word they ran as fast as they could up the hall and around the corner, through the silvery archway, and into the other hall. There Teddy stopped short, looking blankly about him. Starlein was gone.
Silverling shook his head sadly. "I know how it would be," he said. "I've been hunting for her ever since we quarrelled, but I can't find her, and I can't find the way into the garden of the singing fountain either."
"What did you quarrel about?" asked Teddy.
"We quarrelled about this," said the little boy, touching a slender golden chain that hung around his neck. "We found it in the garden and we quarrelled about who should wear it, but I'd be so glad to give it to Starlein now if she would only come back again."
"Well, wait!" said Teddy. "She can't be far away and I'll go and find her."
"No, no!" cried Silverling. "You can't find her, and I'll lose you too. Stay here awhile, little boy, and play with me, for I'm very lonely. Look! Let's play with my silver ball," and taking it from his pocket he tossed it to Teddy. Teddy caught it and threw it back to him, and so they played together in the marble hall, tossing the silver ball and shouting with laughter.
At last Silverling missed the ball, and as it rolled on down the hall he r