"Now sweet and low, he sang a song all his own; so sweet that the linnet and thrush grew silent; so tremulous and low that it called back his faithless mate from its wanderings. Then growing bold and defiant, with frantic effort, he carolled forth music wild and shrill, as if challenging the rest of the song birds to a relentless vocal war.
"A gray squirrel barked high up in the top of the tall chestnut tree under which they were standing, and far down in a deep, cool hollow below, they heard a plumed pheasant drumming his battle tune unchallenged upon a log.
"'Come, children,' exclaimed 'Aunt Twaddles,' 'let us go!'
"They followed the ridge of the mountain for some time; but the journey was made so delightful and charming by the wonderful scenes beneath them that the two children did not seem to notice just how far they had travelled, although they had gone a great distance and everything about and beneath them seemed new and changed.
"Suddenly they turned to the left from the mountain ridge and passed down into a dark ravine, the sides of which were so very high that 'Aunt Twaddles' said the sun never shone anywhere within its dark bounds, not even during the noon hours of midsummer.
"It was a dark and gloomy place indeed, filled with great pitfalls of slimy, green liquid, from which arose an unpleasant odor; while there was barely enough light for them to see that the steep sides of the ravine were covered with a damp mould.
"With a feeling of relief they emerged from this horrible place to find themselves entering a beautiful and heavily wooded glen.
"'Aunt Twaddles' informed them that the gloomy ravine through which they just passed was called 'The Valley of Dry Bones,' for the reason, as she said, that the bird or animal once entering it scarcely ever came out alive, and that what few did escape death were mere skeletons.
"'And how is it that we are not skeletons, Aunt Twaddles, now that we have passed through the valley?' exclaimed Arthur, with an inquiring glance.
"'Because we have used the power of reason, my dear, which no bird or animal except man possesses,' she replied. Then, pausing to glance back, she continued: 'Knowing the dangers of the valley, I used the power of reason and laid my course. If you do not use the power of reason, my boy, you will often find yourself in the Valley of Dry Bones as you journey along through life.'