92 BEYOND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.

hers, “that there is to be a great feast here to-night, and a lot of
children are coming, and we may play, and skip, and dance, and enjoy
ourselves? Oh, I never, never, in all my life, was so happy. JI am
elad we have come to this lovely place.”

«¢ But we can’t stay here, Buttercup,” said Primrose. “ It will be
very nice to have some breakfast, and perhaps some sleep, but then we
must start on our journey, for I do hope we shall reach the Rose
Mountains before to-night.”

“What do you mean?” said Buttercup, looking at her in a
puzzled way. ‘“ What Rose Mountains? What journey? Aren’t
we always going to stay here? What do you mean, Primrose ?”’

“What do you mean?” said Primrose, looking at her little
brother in terror; ‘‘ don’t you know that we are going to the Blue
Mountains to jom our father and mother, and Cowslip and
Clover; don’t you snow it, Buttercup—how can you possibly have
forgotten?”

Just for an instant a queer puzzled look came over Buttereup’s
face; then he shook his little head and laughed gaily.

«“ You must be dreaming, Primrose,” he said. ‘I don’t remember
anything about a father and mother, or about Blue Mountains, or
about people called Clover and Cowslip. Ob, hurrah for the feast, the
feast, the feast! hurrah for the gay dance, and the jolly toys—
hurrah! hurrah ! ”

At this moment Dragon-flower entered the room, followed by two
or three prettily-dressed girls bearing trays which contained cups of
milk and little plates of strawberries.

“ You are to eat your strawberries, and drink your milk, and then
vo to sleep for an hour,” said Dragon-flower to each of the children.
“Why, what is the matter with you, my little girl?” she added,
coming up to Primrose, who, dressed in new and dazzling white clothes
up to her neck, had perched the old brown hat which her mother had
given her on her head.

«Take off that ugly hat,” said Dragon-flower. “ Here is a wreath
of lilies—it will suit you much better than that hideous hat.”

«But, please, I love my hat,” said Primrose, putting up her hand