“My hat blew off,” Peter told her, “and the wheel is stuck in the mud, Miss.”
“Oh, Peter, Peter,” the Princess chided, “you must get that wheel out of the mud at once.”
“Which is easier said than done,” Peter grumbled; “it’s that dark that I can’t see my hand before me.”
“There’s a light back there among the trees,” the Princess informed him; “perhaps you could get some one to help you.”
“I’ll go and see, Miss, if you ain’t afraid to stay alone,” and Peter, after some effort, succeeded in quieting the plunging horses.
“I am dreadfully afraid,” came shiveringly, “but I suppose you will have to go.”
Now in the middle of the pine grove was set a little cottage. Peter knocked at the door.
“Who’s there?” asked a childish voice, and a little girl poked her head out of the square window.
“Our wheel is stuck in the mud,” Peter answered, from the dark, “and I want to get a man to help me.”
“There isn’t any man here,” Jenny informed him. “There is only me and Jinny; and our mother has gone to nurse a sick neighbor, and she won’t be home until morning.”