THE COUNTRY OF THE DARK MEN. 105

picked up the large white sailor hat which her mother had trimmed
for Buttercup. She pressed her lips to the old hat and kissed it many
times; then, clasping all the hats in her hands, she ran out of the
tiny closet.

While she was searching for the hats she had discovered many
stairs, which helped her to reach first one room and then another.
Now, to her amazement, they were all gone. She was on the top of
the topmost tower of Castle Dangerous, with no means of reaching
the ground.

Brave acts, however, always give courage and coolness. Never in
all her life had Primrose felt more composed than at this moment, more
able to think calmly, more self-possessed.

“There was a wonderful power in my old hat,” she said to herself ;
“at must have been because mother trimmed it; perhaps the mothers
of the other children have also trimmed their hats. Poor and shabby
and ugly as they look, they can hurt the wicked sisters here—they are
all afraid of them. I am sure I know the reason why: some mother’s
love has touched them. I must reach the ground somehow. TI don’t
want ever again to go inside this dreadful Castle. Perhaps if I put
all the hats on my head I may be able to float down to the ground.”

Scarcely had this theught come to Primrose before she acted on
it. The children’s hats fitted nicely one inside the other: she placed
Butterceup’s large sailor hat over all; then putting them on her head,
felt as if she was suddenly possessed of a pair of strong wings. She
let herself gently over the parapet of the tower, and floated, as if she
were a downy feather, to the ground.

“Oh, there you are,” said a voice. ‘I am quite at your service.”

Primrose, who had shut her eyes while floating through the air,
opened them now, and started back. The httle ferryman, Fungus,
was sitting in the ferry-boat and gazing up at her.

“TI do exactly what you wish, my dear little Princess,” he said.
“ While you possess those five dreadful hats I am, I assure you, only
too anxious to obey you. Now, is there anything you want to ask
me, for whatever it is, I am bound to tell you the simple truth ?”

““T wish to ask you this,” said Primrose, looking at the ugly little