74 BEYOND THE BLUE MOUNTALNS.

that we should reach the first in time for breakfast. Of course,
you and I can’t do that now, but I daresay we shall get some
dinner there.”

This thought comforted Buttercup a good deal.

“T am very glad indeed of that,” he said. “T don’t know
what kind of girl you are, Rose, but IT never can do without my
meals. Whatever happens, I must have plenty to eat.”

«Well, let’s start off now,” said Primrose. “Do look at the
clock, Bee—it is getting dreadfully late. Come, let us go at once.”

Buttercup rose rather unwillingly from the breakfast table,
shook the crumbs off his neat sailor suit, and placed the broad
straw hat on his little curly head.

Then he slipped his hand into Primrose’s, and the two children
set off.

Primrose felt almost cheerful at last.

«Let us walk fast, Bee,” she said. ‘ You must be right, too,
about the road, for there are the Mountains exactly in front of us.
What a dark blue they look now. They are not so pretty as they
are in the morning and evening—there are no beautiful lghts
shining through the mist which always covers them, and I can
scarcely see the snow-peaks. I hope there is not going to be a
storm,”

“Not a bit of it,’ said Buttercup. “The Mountains always
look like that in the middle of the day. Oh, please, Rose, I really
can’t walk so quickly.”

“T don’t think we ought to be going down hill,” said Prim-
rose. “I remember quite well that one of the directions in Clover’s
letter said, ‘ You will be going up a very gentle and easy incline
from the very first.’ Oh, Buttercup, what shall we do if we are
taking the wrong way?”

‘ How can we be taking the wrong way? There are the
Mountains. What we want is to get to them, and I expect there
are quite a dozen roads leading to them. Do you see that stile at
the other side of that pretty path? I am sure there was some-
thing about a stile in Clover’s letter. Let us make for Its!