THE CAVE AND THE BLACK DOOR. 61

someone’s arms, and carried through the air, which seemed to suffocate
us, until we got out into this lovely land. Was it your father who
carried us across ? ”

“No,” said Pearl, in a whisper; ‘‘it is the Prince himself who
does that.”

There was a tone about her voice which prevented the children
asking any more questions.

Soon afterwards she took them to two little rooms, where she said
they might go to sleep until the dawn.

“At the very early dawn my father will wake you,” said Pearl.
“ And now good-night and farewell. I shall not see you again.”

She kissed both of them as she spoke, and then seemed to float
rather than to walk away.