“Doyouknowsomething,”saidgolden-hairedMary.“ChanelleandAngelicalookverymuchalike.Eventheirheightandfiguresareidentical.”

        “Notonlyaretheirphysicalappearancesso,”addedtheshySheila.“Theybothhaveanaturalbornnobledispositionandbotharegreatatpoetry.Nowondertheygetalongsowelltogether.”

        “Also,”addedthehealthyswimmerDeanna“itissaidthenew-comerClementineusedtobeafairyfromheaven,willingtocomedowntoearthandliveasahuman.Isn’tthatstrange?”

        “Whydidn’tyougirlsinviteClementinehere?”askedLotus.“Sinceshegotafleshbody,sheisgreatlyinterestedinhumancuisineandthinkseverythingistasty.Perhapsshewouldenjoymydumplings.Ifanyofyouseeherlater,tellherIinviteherovertotrymylatestconcoction.”

        “ShewenttoGiantMountainwithMegginnandRomi”saidDeanna“toseehowCyclopsisgettingonwiththeconstructionofthegoldpalace.Theprojectislaggingbehindscheduleandtheywenttoseehowtheycouldhelpthissimple-mindedgiantofHerculeanstrength,hopingtohavethepalacecompletedbeforeKingDimitrireturns.”

        “IheardAishaisgoingtocallameetingtonightaboutthis.”addedDorna.

        “Ihaven’tseenAishaalldaytoday,”Lotussaid,lookingatDorna.“Doyouknowwheresheis?”

        “Whereelseexceptherstudy”poutedDorna.“flippingthroughthoseinnumerablebooksonhershelvesforathesisorreportorsomethingofthekind?Sheisturningintoarealbookworm.Notonlyisshebecomingabookworm,sheisforcingallofustobecomebookwormsjustlikeher!”Beforeshefinishedspeaking,everyonewasbentoverinlaughter.Aishawasafamousscholarandslightlyolderthantherest,sothejobofsupervisingthestudiesoftheyounggirlsnaturallyfellonher.ThoughDornaoutwardlycomplained,inherheartshehadagreatloveandrespectforthismaturewoman,whowasbothamotherandabigsistertoher.

        “Don’tbemad,mylittleprincess,”Lotuslaughinglysaid.“Itwillaffectyourappetiteandthat’snotworthit.I’llgoandgetsomethingforyoualltoeat.”

        Lotuswalkedovertothechoppingblockbythestove,tookapieceoftendergingerandusingaspecialtechniquequicklychoppeditintoverythinshreds.Thesesheputintoseveralsmallsaucersandpouredvinegaroverthemassauceforhersteameddumplings,whichaddedgreatlytotheirflavor.Thegirlsbuzzedaround,helpingsetthetable.Soon,everythingwasreadyandtheysettledaroundthechoppingblocktoenjoytheirsnack.Lotuswashappytoseethemeatingwithsuchrelish.Suddenly,shefoundthatthehairofallfourgirlswerewet,especiallyMary’slonggoldenhairfallingtoherwaist,wasnowcloselyplasteredtoherneckandherback,makingherlookslightlydisheveled.Sosheasked,

        “Whathavethefourofyoubeenupto,togetyourhairallwet?”

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