It was several days before Mary could see Harry again and tell him
"sky-stories," as he called them, for he had been suffering much pain.
Even her gentle voice irritated him, and perfect quiet was ordered by
the doctor until the little sufferer was better. At last he was able
to enjoy the sunlight and the flowers and the song of the birds again,
and one bright morning he was all ready, as he told his sister, to take
another trip to Starland. As Mary arranged the pillows on the couch for
him, and a large sunshade, so that the glare of sunlight would not hurt
his eyes, he caught hold of her hand and, pressing it lovingly, he said:
"Darling, what should I do without you? You are so good to me."
"How can I help it, little sweetheart!" said Mary, as she turned her head
aside to keep him from seeing the tears that would come to her eyes;
"how can I help it, when I love you so dearly. Besides, you are my own
dear little brother, and you don't know how I missed you all last week."
"Did you really, sister? And I was dreaming away all day long about the
wonderful stories you have been telling me. I played football on Mars,
and had beautiful wings when I lived on the baby planets, and flew from
one to another, and now I want to know something about the giant planets.
You said they lived next door to the little tiny planets."