56 BEYOND THE BLUE MOUNTALNS.

“Tf such a dreadful thing should happen, which I don’t believe
or expect for a single moment, you must stand in this little hollow
part of the cliff until the snake passes by. He won’t see you,
and when he has passed you can walk on. Now, don’t think of
dreadful things, Cowslip, but just watch me.”

Without waiting for any reply from his poor little sister, Clover ran
up the road, and then lightly and skilfully leaped over the snake’s body.

It did not stir or take the faintest notice of him.

Clover vaulted back again and came to Cowslip.

“Good,” he said, in a joyous voice; “I never saw anything sleep
so soundly before. Just take my hand, and let us go close to it. You
know you can vault quite well, Cowslip.”

“ But not so far nor so well as you.”

“On this occasion you will be able to do so. Now, come on.”

Clover looked so full of courage that Cowslip could not but trust
herself to him.

So they went up to the snake and lightly vaulted over it.

The dreadful creature was certainly sound asleep, for it did not
notice the children, and no more moved than if it were really carved
in stone.

They walked on very fast, however, when they got to its other
side, as Cowslip feared it might awaken any moment, and follow them.
They continued their journey for two or three miles, the path getting
narrower and steeper each moment; but still, wonderful to relate, the
freshness of the early morning seemed to linger in the air, and they
were not nearly so tired as they had been yesterday.

Suddenly, however, an unexpected stop seemed to be put to
everything.

Right across the path, shutting. them away from all that lay
beyond, was a very large and very black door—it filled the entire path.
There were heavy rocks on each side of it, and above it the mountain
towered, steep and dreadful.

“We have indeed come to the end now,” said Cowslip. “ After
all we were on the wrong path. Oh, Clover, what a pity you lost the
map and your dear little glass!”