lie BEYOND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.

danger they have escaped. A short time ago they had each of them
forgotten their mothers and the beautiful country beyond the Blue
Mountains to which we are all of us travelling. Now there is little
doubt that they have also forgotten Castle Dangerous, and the peril
they have escaped. Stay, though, when they see their lovely white
clothes, and remember the dirty dusty garments they came to the
Castle in, their memories will partly revive.”

“What are you doing, Primrose?—why don’t we go on with
our journey?” said Buttercup, coming up to his sister and taking
her hand.

“We'll go on in a minute, darling,” said Primrose. “ Oh, Butter-
cup, such strange, such wonderful things have happened ! ”

“What a fuss you make!” said Buttercup, in a cross voice ;
“nothing wonderful has happened except that we are going tramping
along the dusty road, and that we are very tired, and haven’t had a
scrap of food or of sleep for ages.”

“Oh, Buttercup, don’t you remember Castle Dangerous pe

“T never heard of such a place—where is it?”

“Tf you can’t remember the place,” said Primrose, “look down at
your beautiful dress. How did you get the white dress you are
wearing? How did those other children get the dresses which shine
and sparkle and make them look like fairies ? ”

“You are certainly dreaming, Primrose,” said Buttercup; “do
wake up, and don’t talk any more nonsense. I am wearing my old
sailor’s suit, and very dirty and dusty it feels.”

Then Primrose noticed that the white dresses had also vanished,
and that the children looked exactly as they had done before.

This sight gave her a sudden sensation of relief and pleasure.

“Tet us go on,” she said, taking her brother’s hand. ‘We havea
great, great deal to be thankful for—let us go on without a moment's
delay.”

Although it had seemed to Primrose to be quite evening a few
minutes ago, the light in the sky now, and the position of the sun,
showed her that they could still walk a long way before night overtook
them. In front of them, misty and beautiful, were the Rose-coloured

ce