10 BEYOND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.

pretty little slender girl, with hair as yellow as her name, and
large wide-open sky-blue eyes.

Primrose, the other sister, was thirteen, and her favourite brother
was Buttercup, the youngest of the family, a little sturdy fellow
of eleven years old, with a great deal of mischief in his face, and
a considerable amount of obstinacy in his character.

These were the four children who waited in the cottage until the
message should come to them to go to the country beyond the Mountains.

They expected it to arrive any day, but on the day when it
did come they were thinking of it less than usual, and Primrose
felt herself turning pale, and she owned to a feeling almost of
sorrow when Clover said to her—

“The King has sent us a letter by the post; and we are all four
to start for the Blue Mountains earl y to-morrow morning.”

“T am quite ready,” said Cowslip; “I have nothing to say
good-bye to—I don’t suppose we shall be very long walking from here
to the Blue Mountains.” :

“But how do we know the road to take?” asked Primrose. “I
don’t believe those mountains are half as near as they look. I
am sure we shall take days and days going to them ; and the weather
is so hot just now.”

“The letter which came by the post tells us all about the way,”
said Clover.

He went out of the cottage as he spoke, and Cowslip ran
after him and slipped her hand into his.

Buttercup was lying full length on the floor munching an
apple. His cheeks were a little flushed, and his eyes heavy—he had
been half asleep while the others were talking, and when Primrose
came up to him now he turned away from her with a sullen
look on his face.

“The message has come, Buttercup,” said Primrose, “and we
are to start for the Blue Mountains to-morrow.”

Sal samen t going!” said Buttercup, turning on his side, and
continuing to munch his apple; “that is, unless a carriage has come
for me to drive n—I can’t stand walking in hot weather.”