88 BEYOND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.

He then began carefully to use his two oars and so to pilot
them across the stream.

“You are good children,” he said, “and I have not the least
doubt that if you sit motionless, and don’t even wink your eyes, I
shall be able to land you safely at the other side. The people to
whom this water belongs won’t have any power over you if you
sit quite still, and don’t even wink while you are in the boat.”

As the ferryman spoke he fixed his black eyes in turn on each
of the children. When he did this they each felt a queer kind of
thrilling sensation passing through them, from their heads down to
their feet. Even Primrose experienced this queer thrill. It had
a strange effect on her as well as the others. It imstantly took
all fear away, and filled each little heart with a queer unaccount-
able gladness.

At last the boat grated on the pebbly shore at the other side
of the narrow stream.

The ferryman instantly jumped out, and giving one of his
fingers to each child, helped them all to alight on the narrow
shelf of beach.

“Welcome to the threshold of Castle Dangerous. Oh, what a
happy time you'll have! Welcome, welcome, welcome!” said
Fungus.

As he spoke, he looked up at the Castle, which was on such
a high and steep rock that it seemed almost to hang over the
children’s heads.

“ How are we ever to get up there?” asked Primrose. “ That
rock is as steep as the wall of a house, and I’m sure I for one
ean’t climb it.”

“Nor I,” said Buttercup—‘“‘and I am so tired, too. Oh, I'd
give anything to go to bed. JI don’t think it is worth while
going to the Blue Mountains when it gives one so much
trouble.”

“ Don’t say that, Buttercup,” said Primrose. “Think of father
and mother waiting to welcome us. There is no trouble too great
to take that will bring us back to them.”