66 BEYOND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.

When they sat up the Guide spoke to them at once.

“Here is a piece of bread for you both,” he said. “ Hat it quickly,
for the day is passing and we must go on.”

« Have we much farther to go?” asked Clover.

“ Only one step further, my boy,” replied the Guide. ‘‘ Your toils
are now completely over, but there is one last test of your courage to
be gone through. You think that you are at the top of the Blue
Mountains. Do you see that peak up there ?”

«“ That one,” said Clover—‘‘ that one quite high in the clouds ?”

“Yes,” said the Guide, “it is at the other side of that peak that
the gates are which lead into the country plier the King lives, and
Pier your father and mother wait for you.”

« But how are we ever to get to that peak?” said Clover. “ Are
we to go down this mountain, al then up that mountain ?”

“Tt cannot be done,” said poor Cowslip. “It will kill me; I
cannot do it.”

“You cannot do it, truly,” replied the Guide, putting his arm
round her. ‘‘ You are a weak little girl, and the King does not expect
you to do impossibilities. Now, my children, see, a wonderful thing is
going to happen.”

As he spoke the Guide turned his head slightly aside and blew
a shrill piercing whistle.

The moment he did so there came a noise in the air—a noise
of feet hurrying, and people running, and of chains being moved.
Then the children heard the sltccute of horses’ hoofs, ee all the
time they saw nothing.

“ Now look again,” said the Guide.

They did look, and Clover uttered an astonished exclamation.
From the peak of the Blue Mountains, where they stopped, to that
higher peak, which was almost lost in the clouds, was now thrown a
slender and very narrow bridge, and standing by the side of the bridge
were two cream-coloured ponies, with saddles and bridles on.

“Come,” said the Guide. “Allis ready. This is our way.”

He walked up to the ponies and desired Clover to mount one.

‘He will carry you across the bridge,” he said. “ And Cowslip,”