34 THE MAGIC OAK TREE

common, and, save at the spot on which he
stood, the gorse grew so thick that he could
hardly have forced his way through it. He
paused a few seconds and doubted whether
he had not better go to the right or left and
try to find the end of the pit; then he
thought that, first of all, he had better try
the same means which had just before
proved so successful. So he boldly shook
his handkerchief again, and repeated the
word given him by the hedgehog. Great,
indeed, was his surprise at the effect produced.
A strong wooden bridge with a good stout
hand-rail appeared directly before him, and
he walked across it without the slightest
difficulty, and proceeded safely on his
journey. Close at hand now were the
large trees of the forest, casting their
shadows over the edge of the common, and
seeming to invite animals of all sorts to
come in under the shelter of their pleasant
shade. On stepped the boy without fear or
doubt, and he was not ten yards from the
forest, when, without any warning whatever,
a line of fire, some three yards wide, rose up
between him and the forest, so close to him
that he jumped back a full yard and a half