PETER PIPKINS AND FUNGUS THE FPERRYAMAN. 83,

“The next inn,” said the old man, with a queer wicked sort of
gleam in his black eyes, “is called Castle Dangerous ; it is a remark-
ably nice sort of place, and if you walk fast you'll all get there long
before morning. You have only to follow the winding path which
leads from my door, and it will lead you straight there. Now off, all
of you: off out of my sight at once!”

The children tumbled to their feet, shook out their dresses, pushed
back their tossed hair, and walked all of them in a sad little group to
the door of the cottage.

“You must each of you pay me before you go,’ said Peter. “ You
don’t suppose that I give you all that good food and comfortable sleep
for nothing.”

“ But we have no money,” said Primrose
and I haven’t got any money.”

“ Well, well, I won’t be hard on you—all I ask is a kiss aplece.
I am fond of kissing pretty children, and you are all very taking
little dears.”

Buttercup thought it kind of Peter Pipkins only to want a kiss.
He ran up to him and raised his chubby lips to the old man’s withered
face without an instant’s hesitation. The four strange children
did the same, but Primrose managed to push past one of the other
little girls, and to get out into the cool night air without having
kissed Peter.

“Good-bye, all of you! ” he shouted; and the children ran down
the path, singing—

 

“at least, Buttercup

“We are off to the Mountains Blue,
Let us laugh as we go and be glad |
We will travel the whole night through,
And never be weary or sad.
Oh, joy for that Land of Delight !
Let us hasten our steps to be there,
Good-bye to all sorrow and night
When we rest in its radiance fair.”

The children felt quite happy while they sang.
The night had certainly come, but the moon was shining brilliantly.
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