122 BEYOND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.

“How am I to trust myself on that narrow rope?” she
exclaimed; “any moment I may totter off, and then I shall be
at the mercy of those wicked little men in the water.”

The thought of Buttereup, however, and of the other children
who must be reached, and the terrible thought of having to tell
her mother that she had not taken good care of Buttercup, and that
he had got lost in the journey to the King’s Country, filled the heart
of Primrose with such resolution and such noble strength that she
determined, come what would, to listen to the gentle little voice
which told her to cross the chasm on the silver bridge and not to fear.

Accordingly, she first placed one little trembling foot upon the
narrow line, and then the other, and finally began her perilous
journey.

The httle men in the stream below did everything in their
power to hinder her.- They shouted, and yelled, and cried, and
laughed, and threw dirt at her, as she crossed on the silver bridge.

But with each footstep Primrose felt her courage growing greater,
and her hold on the narrow but firm cord more steady.

When she had gone three quarters of the perilous journey, and
the little men in despair were about to hurl some great stones at
her, two hands were suddenly pushed forward out of the darkness,
and Primrose found herself lifted to the other side in a strong pair
of arms.

“That is a brave child,” said a kind voice. Primrose leant for
a minute against the arms that encircled her. She was trembling
and out of breath, but when a pair of firm cool lips kissed her he
was reminded of mother.

“You are all right now, dear Primrose,” said the voice. “ My
name is Patience. Iam rather a dull sort of person, but I am very
safe. Those who follow me have nothing really to fear, and this
humble little tent is one of the Ising’s Inns. Come in, little Primrose
—come in and eat, for I know you are very faint and hungry.”

Primrose felt a whirling sensation in her head, a queer singing
in her ears, and a giddy Peeling which made it almost impossible
for her to reply to the kind teas