,
'Swan, hold fast,' and do what he could the poor youth couldn't get his
hand away. The more he howled the more the others laughed, till a girl
who had been washing clothes in the neighbouring stream hurried up to
see what was the matter. When she saw the poor boy fastened to the swan
she felt so sorry for him that she stretched out her hand to free him.
The bird screamed.

'Swan, hold fast,' called out Peter, and the girl was caught also.

When Peter had gone on for a bit with his captives, they met a chimney
sweep, who laughed loudly over the extraordinary troop, and asked the
girl what she was doing.

'Oh, dearest John,' replied the girl, 'give me your hand and set me free
from this cursed young man.'

'Most certainly I will, if that's all you want,' replied the sweep, and
gave the girl his hand. The bird screamed.

'Swan, hold fast,' said Peter, and the black man was added to their
number.

They soon came to a village where a fair was being held. A travelling
circus was giving a performance, and the clown was just doing his
tricks. He opened his eyes wide with amazement when he saw the
remarkable trio fastened on to the swan's tail.

'Have you gone raving mad, Blackie?' he asked as well as he could for
laughing.

'It's no laughing matter,' the sweep replied. 'This wench has got so
tight hold of me that I feel as if I were glued to her. Do set me free,
like a good clown, and I'll do you a good turn some day.'

Without a moment's hesitation the clown grasped the black outstretched
hand. The bird screamed.

'Swan, hold fast,' called out Peter, and the clown became the fourth of
the party.

Now in the front row of the spectators sat the respected and popular
Mayor of the village, who was much put out by what he considered nothing
but a foolish trick. So much annoyed was he that he seized the clown by
the hand and tried to tear him away, in order to hand him over to the
police.

Then the bird screamed, and Peter called out, 'Swan, hold fast,' and the
dignified Mayor shared the fate of his predecessors.

The Mayoress, a long thin stick of a woman, enraged at the insult done
to her husband, seized his free arm and tore at it with all her might,
with the only result that she too was forced to swell the procession.
After this no one else had any wish to join them.

Soon Peter saw the towers of the capital in front of him. Just before
entering it, a glittering carriage came out to meet him, in which was
s