He rose to his feet and stood for a moment thinking. "I know; I want to cross the stream," he said, when—lo and behold!—just in front of him there was a little bridge, exactly wide enough for one person at a time. He crossed it with Alexander at his heels; then, turning round to look back, found that the bridge had vanished!
This was a curious thing to happen, but George hadn't time to wait. He wanted to go on and on and find out where the wonderful music came from.
"Wu-uff!" barked Alexander, and it sounded for all the world as if he were saying: "What fun, George! What fun!"
On they dashed, first George in front and then his dog. Right across the meadow they went, and suddenly found themselves on a broad white road which went winding and winding along as far as ever you could see.
"This is like 'Over the hills and far away,'" laughed George. "Come on, old boy!" And on they ran again, so fast that the road looked as if it were unwinding itself quickly like a ball of ribbon.
"I expect we shall soon get there now," said George. "We must be miles and miles away from home."
The road grew narrower and narrower until it became quite a little path, and this path led them up to a little green gate, which appeared suddenly in front of them as if it had popped up out of the ground.
"This must lead to just where I want to go," said George. He was quite accustomed to talking aloud now. Somehow his voice sounded different, and he felt as if he must talk, for it seemed as if some one—he didn't know who—was listening to him all the time.
Across the top of the gate was written in shining letters "Please open me."
George pushed it open and walked through; then he saw that on the other side was "Please shut me." He shut it carefully behind him and walked on.