Page:On the Way There (1904).djvu/24

 "Come closer and see," said the womenwoman [sic]; and Marjorie, with her heavy load of Errors, staggered nearer until she could look between the leaves and branches of the hedge; and there, sure enough, she saw an embankment with a smooth road running along the top of it, upon which were passing many happy-faced children.

"Children," she called, "is that truly a smooth, dry road? and does it really lead to the beautiful city where I am trying to go?"

"Yes," called the children; "yes, it does. Come up out of the mud."

Marjorie turned again toward the sweet, smiling little face which she had first seen, and took a step forward. Then she stopped. "It isn't any use!" she cried, woefully. "These dreadful dwarfs! They won't let me come! I can never get through the hedge and up the bank with them."

"No, you cannot," said the woman, gently; "but you don't want to, do you? You don't want to take them with you?"

"No, no!" cried Marjorie; "but I can't get rid of them. I've tried and tried."

"You haven't tried the right way," said the woman, earnestly. "Do you know what they are?"