The wind sang in their ears, nipped their noses, and made Tommy drowsy, and presently he must have fallen asleep; for just as he was conscious that Johnny had taken the reins, and, with one arm on either side of him was holding him on his shoulder, there was a great jolt and a sort of crash as of breaking through. He would have fallen off the sled if Johnny had not held him tight.
When he opened his eyes they seemed to be passing through a sort of silvery haze, as though the moonlight were shining through a fine mist of silvery drops which shed the softest radiance over everything. And suddenly through this enchanting light they came to a beautiful city, with walls around it of crystal, all rimmed with gold, like the clouds at sunset. Before them was a great gate through which shone a wonderful light, and inside they saw a wide street all lit up. As they reached the gate there was a sort of peal, as of bells, and out poured a guard of little men in uniform with little swords at their sides and guns in their hands, who saluted, while their officer, who had a letter in his hand, halted them with a challenge.
“Who goes there?”
“Friends,” said Tommy, standing up and saluting, as he had seen soldiers do at the fort.
“Advance, friends, and give the countersign.” Tommy thought they were lost and his heart sank.
But Johnny said, “‘Good-will.’”
“All right,” said the captain and stepped back.
“Who gave you that sled?” he asked.
“Tommy,” said Johnny. “This little boy here made it and gave it to me.”
“This is the one,” said the captain to a guard, looking at a letter in his hand. “Let them by.”