"Pushed him?" said Edith.

"No."

"Took him up pickaback," suggested Lucy.

"Nothing of the sort. He just took his friend's lame foot in his mouth, and the two toads hopped along together! Uncle James said it probably wasn't the first time, for they kept step as if they were used to it."

"Wasn't that cunning?" said Edith. And Jimmy remarked after a pause, "If Lucy wants to go up to that castle, maybe I could steady her along; only there's Bab. She'd have to go too. And I don't believe it's any place for girls!"

The ride was a long one, forty miles at least. The passengers had dinner at a little inn, the elegant horses were placed in a stable; and the tallyho started again at one o'clock with a black horse, a sorrel horse, and two gray ones.

The afternoon wore on. The horses climbed upward at every step; and though the journey was delightful, the passengers were growing rather tired.

"Wish I could sit on the seat with the king-ductor," besought little Eddo, moving about uneasily.

"That isn't a conductor, it's a driver. Conductors are the men that go on the steam-cars,—the 'choo choo cars,'" explained Jimmum. Then in a lower tone, "They don't have any cars up at Castle Cliff, and I'm glad of it."

Lucy did not understand why he should be glad, and Jimmy added in a lower tone:—