ng to move. It moved
on smoothly--almost as smoothly as when on the water--there were no jogs
or tugs, as might have been the case if it had been pulled by two or
three coarse, strong ropes, for all the hundreds of tiny cables pulling
together made one even force.

"Why, how clever they are!" cried Jeanne. "We go as smoothly as if we
were on wheels. Nice little frogs. I am sure we are very much obliged to
them--aren't we, Cheri?"

"And to Dudu," observed Hugh.

Jeanne shrugged her shoulders. She was not over and above sure of Dudu
even now.

The boat moved along for some time; the pass between the hills was dark
and gloomy, and though the water got wider, as Jeanne had seen, it would
not for some distance have been possible for the children to row. After
a time it suddenly grew much lighter; they came out from the narrow pass
and found themselves but a few yards from a sheet of still water with
trees all round it--a sort of mountain lake it seemed, silent and
solitary, and reflecting back from its calm bosom the soft, silvery,
even radiance which since they came out from the door on the hillside
had been the children's only light.

And in the middle of this lake lay a little island--a perfect nest of
trees, whose long drooping branches hung down into the water.

"Oh, do let us row on to the island," said Jeanne eagerly, for by this
time the frogs had drawn them to the edge of the lake; there could no
longer be any difficulty in rowing for themselves.

"First, any way, we must thank the frogs," said Hugh, standing up. He
would have taken off his cap if he had had one on; as it was, he could
only bow politely.

As he did so, each frog turned round so as to face him, and each gave a
little bob of the head, which, though not very graceful, was evidently
meant as an acknowledgment of Hugh's courtesy.

"They are very polite frogs," whispered Hugh. "Jeanne, do stand up and
bow to them too."

Jeanne, who all this time had been sitting with her feet tucked up under
her, showed no inclination to move.

"I don't like to stand up," she said, "for fear the frogs should run up
my legs. But I can thank them just as well sitting down. Frogs," she
added, "frogs, I am very much obliged to you, and I hope you will excuse
my not standing up."

The frogs bowed again, which was very considerate of them; then suddenly
there seemed a movement among them, those at the end of the boat drew
back a little, and a frog, whom the chil