ose suddenly from the ground innumerable jets of water, not
so much like fountains as like little waterfalls turned the wrong way;
they rushed upwards with such surprising force and noise, and fell to
the earth again in numberless tiny threads much more gently and softly
than they left it.

"It seems as if somebody must be shooting them up with a gun, doesn't
it?" said Hugh. "I never saw such queer fountains."

"Let's go and look at them close," said Jeanne, preparing to get down.
But before she could do so, Houpet gave a shrill, rather peremptory
crow, and Jeanne stopped short in surprise.

"What do you want, Houpet?" she said.

By way of reply, Houpet hopped down from his box, and in some
wonderfully clever way of his own, before the children could see what he
was about, had unharnessed Nibble and Grignan. Then the three arranged
themselves in a little procession, and drew up a few steps from the side
of the carriage where still stood the chicken-footmen. Though they could
not speak, there was no mistaking their meaning.

"They're going to show us the way," said Hugh; and as he spoke he jumped
out of the carriage, and Jeanne after him.

[Illustration: ONWARDS QUIETLY STEPPED THE LITTLE PROCESSION.--p. 75.]

CHAPTER V.

FROG-LAND.

"They have a pretty island,
Whereon at night they rest;
They have a sparkling lakelet,
And float upon its breast."
THE TWO SWANS.

Onwards quietly stepped the little procession, Houpet first, his tuft
waving as usual, with a comfortable air of importance and satisfaction;
then Nibble and Grignan abreast--hand-in-hand, I was going to have said;
next Hugh and Jeanne; with the two attendant chickens behind bringing up
the rear.

"I wonder where they are going to take us to," said Hugh in a low voice.
Somehow the soft light; the strange loneliness of the great plain,
where, now that they were 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, had subdued the
children's spirits. Jeanne said no more about "having fun," yet she did
not seem the least frightened or depressed; she was only quiet and
serious.

"Where _do_ you think they are going to take us to?" repeated Hugh.

"I don't know--at least I'm not sure," said Jeanne; "but, Cheri, isn't
it a good thing that Houpet and the others are