86 BEYOND THE BLUE MOUN TAINS.

heard some low mocking laughter, which might come from the lips of
those naughty people who are always trying to lead children astray.

As they walked, the lights which shone out of every window of
Castle Dangerous grew brighter and brighter.

The meadow dipped down into a lovely valley, and the Castle
stood on a high rock hanging over this valley on the farther side. Jt
was turreted all over, and even in the moonlight looked grey and
hoary with age.

Tt took the children a great deal longer than they had any idea of
to cross the valley, and they were all dreadfully tired and could scarcely
keep their eyes open when at last they reached a deep narrow stream
which ran between them and the Castle.

This stream ran right across the valley, and though the children
looked to their right and to their left, they could not perceive any
bridge by which they might cross it.

«Oh dear, dear!” exclaimed Primrose, “what are we to do
now?”

«Tt is growing very dark, too,’ said one of the strange
children.

This was true, for the moon had not only set, but thick clouds
had come up and were covering the sky. It also wanted quite
an hour to the dawn.

«What are we to do?” said the children in a breath. ‘‘ We
are so tired, so dreadfully tired.”

« T think Pll lie down just here in the grass, and go to sleep,”
said Buttercup.

But he had scarcely spoken before something glided past just
over his feet. It was a snake.

The children saw it and started back with exclamations of
terror.

“ Now what’s the matter? What ails you all?” called a
voice.

It was a very welcome sound, and they all rushed forward to
see who had spoken.

A little man was sitting in a boat in the very middle of the