Mystic trip for those who roam;
One wild rush: Hurrah for home!”
Tempting indeed looked the chariot; bright and sparkling were its wheels of ice, and some of the sprites had decked it with starry edelweiss gathered on the slopes below, and with handfuls of the red snow-lichen.
“Let’s get in, Cis!” cried Hal.
“Is it quite safe?” asked Cis of the sprites.
“Quite, quite,” answered they; “Santa Claus told us to make it for you.”
Taking hold of little Cis, the foremost sprite helped her to get in, and Hal jumped quickly in by her side.
Throwing down their spades, the laughing sprites rushed to the chariot wheels, ready to push them round, whilst others pelted the children with snow-lichen, shouting at the top of their shrill voices:—
“Slide and slip, and slip and slide,
Thunderous roll and mighty crash!