THE CAVE AND THE BLACK DOOR. 51

room and sitting-room combined. There was a table with four round
logs for legs, and on this table stood half a loaf of dry -looking bread
and a pitcher of water, and on the floor in one corner were a pile of
sheepskins, which were evidently meant to do duty as beds.

“ Never mind,” said Clover; “itis a rough place, but it belongs
to the King, for none of his enemies dare to put a red cross over their
doors. It is true that Bluebell used a cross of blue to coax us into
her house, but none of the King’s enemies dare to use a red cross.
We are quite safe here, Cowslip, and what a good thing, for don’t
you hear that thunder? ‘There is evidently going to be a dreadful
storm.”

The storm came nearer and nearer, and the children, as they sat
on the floor of the cave with the lantern placed on the rough table,
could not help quaking with terror. In all her life Cowslip had never
heard such crashing peals of thunder, and soon the poor little lantern’s
hight was scarcely needed, so incessantly did the lightning flash.
The thunder and hightning were followed by torrents of rain, which
seemed to come out of the heavens almost like a sea of water.

The terrible storm lasted for quite two hours, and all this time
Clover held Cowslip’s hand.

Not a drop of water came into this queer little Inn of the King’s,
and several times, when he could hear his own voice, Clover whispered
to his sister what a very good thing it was that they were safe in
the cave.

At last the thunder grew less frequent and less loud, the hghtning
only flashed at intervals, and the rain ceased.

Clover then went to the entrance of the cave and looked out. The
stars were shining overhead, and a nightingale began to sing very
sweetly in a tree near by. Presently he was answered by another, and
in the distance a cuckoo made his home-like call.

Clover returned to the cave.

“The storm is quite over; the air is lovely, so fresh and balmy.
Now, Cowslip, let us have some supper, and then we will go to sleep.
‘As we are going off to sleep we can listen to the song of the
nightingale.”

D2