~I
BR

BEYOND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.

and keen, deep-set black eyes, and a nose which was very much
hooked, and long silvery hair which flowed back from his high
forehead. There was something peculiar about him, but he did
not look unpleasant; and his voice was wonderfully sweet and
attractive.

“Welcome, my dear children,” he said in a cordial and affectionate
manner. “I have been standing here waiting for you for some time.
How late you are in coming !— the dinner is getting quite cold.”

“The dinner,” said Buttercup, running forward eagerly. ‘“ What
a kind, kind man you are! Have you really got dinner for us? We
are so hungry!”

“Of course I have got dinner for you, my little loves. You
are some of the children who are going to the Rose Mountains, are’
you not?”

« Yes,” said Primrose, “but how could you tell? ”

“Oh, I have a way of knowing things,” said the old man, winking
one of his black eyes with great solemnity. ‘“ But come in, come in
at once, or the dinner will be cold. There are four children already
waiting for their dinner in my parlour. They are as hungry as I am,
but we none of us could begin to eat until you came.”

The old man then held out a hand to Primrose and another to
Buttercup, and led them through the rustic porch of his house into a
pleasant, low, cool parlour, where four children about their own ages
were seated round a table.

The table had a white cloth on it, and was spread with several
small tempting-looking dishes. These dishes contained honey and
cakes, some rather foreign-looking fruits, and some puddings of various
sorts. Buttercup was very glad to perceive that there was no meat
nor anything solid on the board. He always liked the pudding and
fruit and cake much better than any other part of his dinner, and was
relieved to think that he might satisfy his appetite with these dainties
without delay.

Primrose, however, who was very fond of Buttercup, and knew that
he could at times eat more cake than was good for him, looked with
some dissatisfaction at the table.