rful
bit of masonry stood exposed. Near its centre were two columns,
large and rugose, each tapering to a capital and cornice. Between
them was a deep lattice of crystal. Some bars were clear, some
yellow as amber, and all were powdered over with snow, ivory-white.
Under its upper part they could see a grille of frostwork,
close-wrought, glistening, and white. It was the inner gate of the
castle, and each ray of light, before entering, had to pay a toll
of its warmth. On either side was a rough wall of ice, with here
and there a barred window. The snow cleared away, they could hear
the song of falling water. The teacher put his ear to the ice
wall. Then he called the boy.

"Listen," said he; "it's the castle bell." Indeed, the whole
structure rang like a bell, if one put his ear down to hear it.

"See!" said he, presently, stirring a heap of tiny crystals in his
palm. "Here are the bricks he builds with, and the water of the
brook is his mortar."

Near the bank was an opening partly covered with snow. It led to a
cavern behind the ice curtain under the rock floor of the brook
above.

The teacher took off his snow-shoes. In a moment they had crawled
through and were crouching on a frosty bed of pebbles. A warm glow
lit the long curtain of ice. Beams of sunlight fell through
windows oddly mullioned with icicles and filtered in at the lattice
of crystal. They jewelled the grille of frostwork and flung a
sprinkle of gold on the falling water. The breath of the
waterfall, rising out of bubbles, filled its castle with the very
wine of life. The narrow hall rang with its music.

"See the splendour of a king's home," said the teacher, his eyes
brimming.

The boy, young as he was, had seen and felt the beauty and mystery
of the place, and never forgot it.

"See how it sifts the sunlight to take the warmth out of it," the
teacher continued. "Warmth is poison to the King, and every ray of
light is twisted and turned upside down to see if he has any in his
pocket."

They could now hear a loud baying on the hill above.

As they turned to listen, a young fox leaped in at the hole and, as
he saw them, checked a foot in the air. He was panting, his tongue
out, and blood was dripping from his long fur at the shoulder. He
turned, stilling his breath a little as the hounds came near. Then
he trembled,--a pitiful sight,--for he was near spent and between
two perils.

"Come--poor fellow!" said the teacher