"A short distance farther on, the travellers overtook an old woman, bending beneath the weight of a heavy burden which she carried. She seemed very feeble, and Benito was grieved for her as he saw how she tottered and how hard it was for her to bear up beneath her load. She was faint and hungry too, and at every step it appeared as if she must sink down.
"'Can I not help thee?' asked Benito.
"'Dear child!' said the old dame. 'How can those tiny hands help to bear a burden such as mine?'
"'I can try,' said Benito. 'Lay a part of it upon my shoulders. I will take all I can to lighten thine. And see, take this; it will strengthen thee for the rest of the journey;' and he handed her the piece of bread which the soldier had given for his own needs.
"The dame took it and eat, and strength came to her as the boy had said; and as he tried to bear upon his shoulders a part of her load, she, too, shed tears which fell upon his bosom as she leaned over him. But they were tears of gratitude and blessing, and did her good; so that after this she went on her way with more comfort.
"And now the day was drawing to its close, the sun was setting, and the end of their journey was near; for the pilgrims could plainly see the river which lay between them and the mountains where their Father dwelt. But just on the nearer side of the river rose a high hill, and on it was a castle, where lived a cruel robber named Doubt, who often came down and dragged many pilgrims up to his castle just when they were in sight of their home. When the soldiers saw this, they said there was one more fight to make before they crossed the river, and again Experience went with them, leaving the child at the foot of the hill, and telling him that if he were frightened, or if the robber came to carry him away, he had only to gaze through his glass at the opposite side of the river and all fear and danger would pass away.
"So the three went up the hill, and the child sat down to await their return. As he sat there, he looked at the river and was afraid, for he thought, 'How can such a little one as I pass through those deep waters? The waves will be too strong for me, and will carry me away.'
"Then he remembered what Experience had told him, and looking through his glass, he saw that the waves were so shallow that they would scarcely wet his feet; and on the other side rose his Father's house, so beautiful, so glorious, that he cried aloud with joy and with longing to pass the river and be there.
"But now he found he was not to sit still, for as the fight went on above, and the soldiers and Experience gained the victory, one after another of the prisoners came down the hill, wounded and bleeding, for they had risen to help those who came to set them free, and had been terribly hurt in the battle.