128 THE FAIRY-FOLK OF THE BLUE HILL.

CHAPTER xX.

THE LAND OF THE AFTER-GLOW.

The river looked very wide and long to the
brown beetle, and he never before, in the course
of his life, had felt so small and helpless. He
was sorely tempted to abandon his intention
of summoning the spirit of the dell, but as he
hesitated, a faint cry for help from Wassa in
the distant cranberry bog determined him.

With his heart beating loudly against his
little sides, the brown beetle recited the lines
which he knew would summon the powerful
spirit of the dell :—

“ Spirit of the dell so fair,
List, I pray, unto my prayer.
Dull am J, but wise art thou ;
Wilt thou deign to tell me how
I can rescue from her plight
That poor maid, ere morning’s light?”

For a moment there was silence, during
which the beetle’s heart thumped more loudly
than ever. Then a faint streak of mist was