INTRODUCTION. : 11

“But no carriage has come, Buttercup, dear; and what is
more, no carriage will come. We have to walk every step of the
way, and it is all up-hill, and it is sure to be horridly rough and
dusty, and disagreeable. I can’t think why the King has sent
for us to join father and mother in such hot weather.”

“ And when does Clover mean to start?” asked Buttercup.

“arly, very early to-morrow morning, just when the sun rises.”

“Catch me waking at that hour,” said Buttercup, taking up
another apple and beginning to eat it. “ Why, I should be quite
ill if I got up when the sun rose. I am not very well as it is.
T have no appetite for anything but apples.”

“Perhaps you eat too many apples.”

“No, I don’t—I know what’s good for me. I am very sleepy,
and I have got a headache, so you had better go and join the others,
Primrose.”

Primrose did not say any more. She went and stood on the
path outside the cottage, and shading her eyes with one little brown
- hand, looked in the direction of the Mountains.

The sun had set by this time, and the blue mist which always
surrounded these strange and beautiful Mountains was pierced through
and through with opal and rose-coloured and violet rays. The
extreme tops of the Mountains, which were covered with eternal
snow, looked now in the sunset as if they were all dressed up in
jewels. Primrose could not help clasping her hands and looking
at them with sudden love and longing.

“Oh! T should like to be at the other side,” she murmured, “ but
I’m afraid of the long tiring journey.”

As she spoke these words Clover and Cowslip came up to her.
Cowslip put her arm round her waist, and Clover looked into her eyes.

He had a wonderful strong way with him, and when he looked
at Primrose she felt new courage coming into her heart.

“We needn’t be a bit afraid,” said Clover. ‘If we obey the
directions in my letter we are certain to get safe to the Mountains
in a few days.”

“We had better go to bed now,” said Cowslip, “for the