o they rose slowly and painfully, and
now Ralph would lead the boy a step or two on; and then he would lean
upon the boy, who seemed to grow stronger, for a pace or two; till
suddenly it came into Ralph's mind that the cold was certainly less;
and so like two dying men they struggled on, step by step, until the
ground grew softer under their feet and the grass darker, and then,
looking round, Ralph could see the circle of the Grey Frost below
them, all white and hoary in the uncertain light.

Presently they struggled out on to a ridge of the long hill; and here
they rested on their staves, and talked for a moment like old friends;
and the boy showed Ralph his coffer, and said, "But you have none?"
And Ralph shook his head and said, "Nay, I left it on the seat of the
Snake." And then Ralph asked him of the Leper's house, and the boy
told him that he had seen it indeed, but had feared and made a circuit
in the wood, and that he had there seen a fearful sight; for at the
back of the Leper's house was a cage, like a kennel of hounds, and in
it sate a score of wretched men with their eyes upon the ground, who
had wandered from the way; and that he had heard a barking of dogs,
and men had come out from the house, but that he had fled through the
woods.

While they thus talked together, Ralph saw that hard by them was a
rock, and in the rock a hole like a cave; so he said to the boy, "Let
us stand awhile out of the wind; and then will we set out again." So
the boy consented; and they came to the cave; but Ralph wondered
exceedingly to see a door set in the rock-face; and he put out his
hand and pulled the door; and it opened; and a voice from within
called him by name.

Then in a moment Ralph saw that he was in the house of the Wise Man,
who sate in his chair, regarding him with a smile, like a father
welcoming a son. All seemed the same; and it was very grateful to
Ralph to see the sun warm on the ceiling, and to smell the honeyed air
that came in from the garden.

Then he went forward, and fell on his knees and laid the staff and the
star down, and would have told the Wise Man his tale; but the Wise Man
said, "Went not my heart with thee, my son?"

Then Ralph told him how he had left his treasure, expecting to be
chidden. But the Wise Man said, "Heed it not, for thou hast a better
treasure in thy heart."

Then Ralph remembered that he had left his companion outside, and
asked if he might bring him in; but the Wise Ma