proud of how handsome they were and would watch out of the corner of his eye as they swirled and played about Snowflake or went for rides on tiny air bubbles on the surface of the river. Once in a while he would speak with them and try to answer their questions.
But Snowflake seemed from then on to be busy from morning until night, keeping them clean, brushing away bits of oil or soot or dust that came flying through the air from the smokestacks of the steamers and got on to their faces, watching to see that they did not stray too far from her side, holding on to their hands when they passed beneath a boat and teaching them all she had learned about floating down a big river.
Still there was time left to enjoy the points of interest and note the many fine and exciting things to be seen, such as cars whizzing by on the white ribbon of road that ran along the bank, railway trains on both sides of the river, gay cafés and restaurants with tables on terraces beneath coloured umbrellas and the ruins of many old castles crowning the hilltops, their bare walls standing out darkly and full of mystery against the evening sky.
Thus one day seemed to pass like another in contentment and interest and things of even greater moment lay ahead, for in the far distance they could catch a glimpse of the towers and steeples of a city much larger than they had ever seen before, and the twin spires of a great church rising from the river haze.
They happened to be travelling close to the left bank at that time and suddenly before they were aware of it a narrow opening appeared in it with a kind of floor of stone paving that was slanted sharply downhill for a short distance so that they were unexpectedly swept into it with a rush.
Gone was the broad, placid river flowing between the lofty hills; gone the slow, gentle pace that allowed one to think and dream as one floated along.
They were caught in a narrow man-made canal of smooth granite blocks. And they were dashing along faster and faster all the time.
Raindrop looked grave. “I do not like this at all,” he said.
“No,” Raindrop repeated, “I do not care for this in the least. Had I thought that something like this might occur I should have kept us all well out in the middle of the river.”
Snowflake now became alarmed herself, for she had never seen Raindrop so serious or disturbed. She cried:
“What is happening? Are we in danger?” And she quickly called to Snowdrop, Rainflake, Snowcrystal and Raindrop-Minor to come to her at once, give her their hands and stay close to her side.
Raindrop looked even graver. The sides of the canal were steeper now so that they could no longer see much of the sky above them. And faster, always faster was the pace at which they were being swept along.
“I do not know,” Raindrop replied, “but keep the children together and stay close to me. Whatever; we must not be separated now.”
The next moment, the canal became roofed over, the sky vanished, and with a gurgling roar and sucking sound they plunged into the mouth of a dark tunnel.
It was fearful to be hurled along through the pitch black, unable to see or know where they were going.
The entrance to the tunnel fell further and further away behind them. As they gazed back in despair, first it looked like this— O , then smaller, like this— O , then smaller still, like this—O, and then, alas, only like this—o.
And thereafter, not so much as a single gleam or ray of light entered to relieve the gloom through which they were plunging.
Snowflake was frightened as she had never been before, but for the sake of the children she pretended she was not and asked Raindrop calmly: “Where do you think we are?”
“Underneath the city, the huge one we saw in the distance,” he replied, “or if not, we will be soon. We may have luck and escape with nothing worse than to be drawn in a bath, or used to wash dishes. But there are hundreds of things which can happen to us.” He
But Snowflake seemed from then on to be busy from morning until night, keeping them clean, brushing away bits of oil or soot or dust that came flying through the air from the smokestacks of the steamers and got on to their faces, watching to see that they did not stray too far from her side, holding on to their hands when they passed beneath a boat and teaching them all she had learned about floating down a big river.
Still there was time left to enjoy the points of interest and note the many fine and exciting things to be seen, such as cars whizzing by on the white ribbon of road that ran along the bank, railway trains on both sides of the river, gay cafés and restaurants with tables on terraces beneath coloured umbrellas and the ruins of many old castles crowning the hilltops, their bare walls standing out darkly and full of mystery against the evening sky.
Thus one day seemed to pass like another in contentment and interest and things of even greater moment lay ahead, for in the far distance they could catch a glimpse of the towers and steeples of a city much larger than they had ever seen before, and the twin spires of a great church rising from the river haze.
They happened to be travelling close to the left bank at that time and suddenly before they were aware of it a narrow opening appeared in it with a kind of floor of stone paving that was slanted sharply downhill for a short distance so that they were unexpectedly swept into it with a rush.
Gone was the broad, placid river flowing between the lofty hills; gone the slow, gentle pace that allowed one to think and dream as one floated along.
They were caught in a narrow man-made canal of smooth granite blocks. And they were dashing along faster and faster all the time.
Raindrop looked grave. “I do not like this at all,” he said.
“No,” Raindrop repeated, “I do not care for this in the least. Had I thought that something like this might occur I should have kept us all well out in the middle of the river.”
Snowflake now became alarmed herself, for she had never seen Raindrop so serious or disturbed. She cried:
“What is happening? Are we in danger?” And she quickly called to Snowdrop, Rainflake, Snowcrystal and Raindrop-Minor to come to her at once, give her their hands and stay close to her side.
Raindrop looked even graver. The sides of the canal were steeper now so that they could no longer see much of the sky above them. And faster, always faster was the pace at which they were being swept along.
“I do not know,” Raindrop replied, “but keep the children together and stay close to me. Whatever; we must not be separated now.”
The next moment, the canal became roofed over, the sky vanished, and with a gurgling roar and sucking sound they plunged into the mouth of a dark tunnel.
It was fearful to be hurled along through the pitch black, unable to see or know where they were going.
The entrance to the tunnel fell further and further away behind them. As they gazed back in despair, first it looked like this— O , then smaller, like this— O , then smaller still, like this—O, and then, alas, only like this—o.
And thereafter, not so much as a single gleam or ray of light entered to relieve the gloom through which they were plunging.
Snowflake was frightened as she had never been before, but for the sake of the children she pretended she was not and asked Raindrop calmly: “Where do you think we are?”
“Underneath the city, the huge one we saw in the distance,” he replied, “or if not, we will be soon. We may have luck and escape with nothing worse than to be drawn in a bath, or used to wash dishes. But there are hundreds of things which can happen to us.” He
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