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times descending a broken slope that grew more and more precipitous until it became dangerous, and then, fearing to go farther--not knowing what lay before--they had to retrace their steps and search for a more gradual descent. Now crossing a level patch that raised their hopes, inclining them to believe that they had reached the bottom of the valley; anon coming suddenly upon a steep ascent that dashed their hopes, and induced them to suppose they had turned in the wrong direction, and were re-ascending instead of descending the mountain. All the time Jacky slept like a top, and George, being a sturdy fellow, carried him without a murmur. Several times Fred tried to make him give up his burden, but George was inexorably obstinate. So they plodded on till nearly midnight. "Is that a house?" said Fred, stopping short, and pointing to a dark object just in front of them. "No, it's a lake." "Nonsense, it's a mountain." A few more steps, and Fred recoiled with a cry of horror. It was a precipice full a hundred feet deep--the dark abyss of which had assumed such varied aspects in their eyes! A long _detour_ followed, and they reached the foot in safety. Here the land became boggy. Each step was an act fraught with danger, anxiety, and calculation. Whether they should step knee-deep into a hole full of water, or trip over a rounded mass of solid turf, was a matter of absolute uncertainty until the step was taken. "Oh that we had only a gleam of moonshine," said Lucy with a sigh. Moonshine! How often had George in the course of his life talked with levity, almost amounting to contempt, of things being "all a matter of moonshine!" What would he not have given to have had only a tithe of the things which surrounded him at that time converted into "moonshine!" A feeble cheer from Fred caused an abrupt halt:-- "What is it?" "Hallo!" "What now?" "The lake at last!--Our own loch! I know the shape of it well! Hurrah!" Everyone was overjoyed. They all gazed at it long and earnestly, and unitedly came to the conclusion that it was the loch--probably at the distance of a mile or so. Pushing forward with revived spirits, they came upon the object of their hopes much sooner than had been anticipated. In fact, it was not more than two hundred yards distant. A wild yell of laughter mingled with despair burst from Fred as the lake galloped away in the shape of a _white horse_! The untravelled reader
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