The Third Miss St Quentin

e a prett

t night t

a sparklin

upon its

Two

ortable air of importance and satisfaction; then Nibble and Grignan abreast-hand-in-hand, I was go

e accustomed to it, the rushing of the numberless water-springs seemed to be but one single, steady sound; the solemn behaviour of their curious guides, altogether,

hey are going to take

us to show us the way, for though the ground looks so pretty it is quite boggy here and there. I notice that Houpet neve

aps it's because of my wall-climbers. Dudu gave me a p

ncommon than goloshes. "He didn't give me any, but then I came a different way from

why their guide had stopped here-there was nothing to be seen. But pressing forward a few steps to where Houpet stood, Hugh saw, imbedded in the moss at his feet, a stone with a ring in it, just like those which one reads of in the Arabian Nights. Houpet stood at

quite real fairy ta

, but looked

think I'd better stand behind and pull you-the ring

waist, and when he gave a great pug to the ring she gave a great pug to

came about I cannot say, but I think I forgot to tell you that, unlike Hugh in his red flannel dressing gown, she was arrayed for their adventures in her best Sunday pelisse, trimmed with fur-and, looking round, lo and behold! there was Houpet holding on to her with his beak, then came Nibble, his two front paws embracing Houpet's fe

eir gravity, they succeeded in doing so, however, fearing that it might h

whispered Hugh, "but it's very g

be of any use," returned Jeanne.

yielded at once without the slightest resistance, and back they all fell, one on the top of the other, Hugh, Jeanne, Houpet, Nibble, Grignan, and the two chickens! But n

"there should be a little staircase for us to go do

spiral staircase of white stone or marble steps, with a neat little brass balustrade at one side. It looked quite light all the way do

nd stood at the top of

re to go down," sa

not a bit afraid. We won't ha

I'm a boy, just in case, you know, Jeann

, Jeanne follow

the top. They saw Houpet and the others standing round the edge of the hole. Houpet gave another crow, in which the two chickens joined him, and then suddenly the stone was shut down-the tw

quite light! The light comes up from below-down there it must be quite bright and cheerful

ey got to its end they were really quite tired of turning round and round so many tim

ve been cut out of the turf of the hill, and was all but invisible. It was light, as Hugh had said, but not with the light of either sun or moon; a soft radiance was over everything, but whence it came they could not tell. The hills on eac

than the carriage. Get in, Hugh, and let us row d

and they went over the water swiftly and smoothly. After a while the hills approached more nearly, gradually the broad river dwindle

shore here," he said. "The boat

brook, or what still remained of it, almost disap

on the other side of this little narrow place. Don't you think we'd be

ront, Hugh pushed behind. It was so very light that there was no difficulty as

and clamber through

cks come quite sharp down to the side. There is nowhere we could clamber on to, and I dare say the water is very deep. There are l

said Hugh; "it

e stair; or if we did get up, how should we push away the stone? And even then, there would be the forest t

still and

last, "I think the tim

meant, he gave three clear, short whis

e they found themselves, a little larger! When and how he would appear Hugh was perfectly at a loss to imagine-he might fly down from the sky; he might spring up from the water; he might just suddenly stand b

e cried, "what a queer

ry direction for the raven that he had not noticed the sound

and nearer, till at last, on every side of the boat in which the children were still standing, came creeping up from below lots and lots and lots of small, bright green frogs, who clambered o

Dudu. He's going to turn us into frogs too, I do believe, becaus

tened as Jeanne, was not much pleased wi

o not think the creatures mean to do us any harm. And I don

into a frog; I've always been a little girl, and so I can't tell. I feel rather creepy and chilly, but

gs, who, arranged in regular lines round the edge of the boat, began working away industriously at so

-lots and lots of little lines. There must

apparently, the frogs considered that they had made cables enough, they settled themselves down, each firmly on his two hind legs, still holding by the rope with their front ones, and then-in another moment-to the children's great delight, they felt the boat begin

othly as if we were on wheels. Nice little frogs. I am

udu," obs

ers. She was not over and

ren to row. After a time it suddenly grew much lighter; they came out from the narrow pass and found themselves but a few yards from a sheet of still water with trees all round it-a sort of mountain

island-a perfect nest of trees, whose long

by this time the frogs had drawn them to the edge of the lake;

standing up. He would have taken off his cap if he h

h gave a little bob of the head, which, though not very gracefu

whispered Hugh. "Jeanne, do

itting with her feet tucked up under

s. But I can thank them just as well sitting down. Frogs," she added, "frogs,

ldren had not hitherto specially observed, came forward and stood in front of the others. He was bigger, his colour was a brighter green, and his eyes more brilliantly red. He stood

nd my companions"-"He should say, 'My companions and I,'" whispered Jeanne-"are well brought up frogs. We know our place in society. We disapprove of new

ery nicely," said J

Monsieur and Mademoiselle are, doubtless, aware that in our humble way we are artists. Our weakness-our strength I should rather say-is music. Our croaking concerts are renowned far and wide, and by a most fortunate coincidence one is about to

I didn't know swans ever sang. I thought it was just an

rog b

recollection of the oldest of my venerated cousins, the toads, that such an opportunity has occurred-and as to whether human ears have ever before been regaled with what y

means, isn't it, Chéri?" whispered Jeanne. "But, of c

it might. But we must

y daren't stand up, and it's not so

Please tell all the other frogs so too. We would like very much

a little-to about half-way between the shore and the island-you will, I think, be excellently placed. But first," seeing that Hugh was preparing to take up the oars

ight; "please say 'No, thank you,' Chéri. I know they

ou are very kind indeed, Monsieur Fr

is hands in an elegantly persuasive manner. "Tadpoles"-in a br

dozen or so of them carrying among them large water-lily leaves, on each of which curious and dainty-looking little cakes and bonbons were arran

We roast and grind the flour in our

ave taken another, but already a second tray-ful or

tastes. Many human beings are under the deplorable mistake of supposing we live on slimy water and dirty insects-ha, ha, ha! whereas our cuisine is astounding in v

h, "what we have had

aordinary-looking cakes, which the frog informed her were made from the pith of rushes roasted and ground down, and then flavoured with essence of marsh marigold, and found the

for the concert. Shall I row out to t

best position;" and, as by this time all the frogs that had been sitting rou