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Meg.”
    Martyn and Mervyn looked relieved, and Miriam and Meg were delighted.
    â€œBut what shall we wear?” they said.
    Mrs Merry said she had two fairy dresses that would just fit them.
    â€œThey used to belong to Barbara and Bunty,” she said, “but the dresses are too small now, and, anyway, Barbara and Bunty have grown too fat to be fairies any more—so we thought it would be lovely if you two would do it. But don’t tell anyone. It is to be a surprise.”
    Mary-Mary, under the table, said to Moppet, “Shall I tell you a story? Once upon a time there were two huge great fairies—”
    â€œMary-Mary!” said Miriam. “Go away at once. You shouldn’t have been listening.”
    â€œâ€”and their names both began with an M—” went on Mary-Mary.
    â€œOh, do go away!” said Miriam and Meg.
    â€œâ€”they were called Margarine and Marmalade—” said Mary-Mary.
    â€œShall we push her out?” said Martyn.
    â€œTake me away!” said Mary-Mary in Moppet’s voice. “I don’t believe in fairies—I only believe in mice.”
    Mary-Mary crawled out from under the table, saying to Moppet, “Very well, I’ll take you away and tell you a mouse story.” And she went into the kitchen where Mother was busy cooking the dinner.
    Mary-Mary sat under the draining-board and told Moppet his mouse story, which went like this, “Once upon a time there was a poor little mouse who had a very bad cold, and it got worse and worse, until somebody gave him an ice-cream, and then all of a sudden it got better.”
    Mother looked up from her cooking.
    â€œHow bad is Moppet’s cold now?” she asked.
    â€œIt is a bit worse,” said Mary-Mary, “but I don’t think he’ll die of it—at least, not yet—at least, I
hope
not.”
    â€œDo you think an ice-cream would help him?” asked Mother.
    â€œOh, yes,” said Mary-Mary. “What a good idea!”
    So Mother gave her threepence, and Mary-Mary ran down to the shop and bought an ice-cream. On the way back she saw Mrs Merry coming down the road.
    â€œI mustn’t stop and talk to her,” said Mary-Mary to herself. “I must hurry home to my poor child, Moppet, who has such a nasty cold. I will talk to her another day.”
    So she put her head down and began to run. She was hoping that if she ran fast enough Mrs Merry wouldn’t have time to see who it was. But Mrs Merry called out, “Why, Mary-Mary! You’re just the person I want to see.” So Mary-Mary had to stop, after all.
    â€œYou heard all about the plan for my party, didn’t you?” said Mrs Merry. “Well, I’m planning a surprise at the end that I didn’t tell the others about. I need someone very little to help me do it, and you’re just the person I want. Now, will you come to my party secretly, without anyone knowing? Mr Merry will fetch you in the car while the party is going on. I have a lovely little dress for you to wear, and I want you to come as the big surprise when the clock strikes midnight. Do you think you would like to be the surprise at my party?”
    â€œOh, yes!” said Mary-Mary. “I’ve quite often been a surprise by mistake, but it would be very nice to be a surprise on purpose.”
    â€œI’ve asked your mother,” said Mrs Merry, “and she says it will be quite all right. She knows all about it and she’s not going to tell any of the others; so you mustn’t either. Come to tea with me today, and we will plan it together.”
    Mary-Mary ran home feeling very pleased indeed. Moppet’s ice-cream was nearly melted by the time she got there, so she gave it to him in a tea-cup. She sang so loudly while she was helping him to eat it that Miriam, Martyn, Mervyn, and Meg were quite surprised.
    â€œWhy is Mary-Mary so happy all of a sudden?” they said.
    â€œMrs