"No!" cried Jasper, pretending to be much amazed, "you don't say so,
Phronsie!"
"Yes, I am," she cried, bobbing her yellow head. "Grandpapa said so; he
really did, Jasper. And I'm going to ride up that long, big mountain on
my donkey." She pointed up and off, but in the wrong direction.
"Oh, no, Phronsie, that isn't the way we are going. The Montanvert is
over here, child," corrected Jasper.
"And I'm going to ride my donkey," repeated Phronsie, caring little
which way she was going, since all roads must of course lead to
fairy-land, "and we're going to see the water that's frozen, and
Grandpapa says we are to walk over it; but I'd rather ride my donkey,
Jasper," confided Phronsie, in a burst of confidence.
"I guess you'll be glad enough to get off from your donkey by the time
you reach the top of Montanvert," observed Jasper, wisely.
"Well, now, Phronsie, we are not going for a day or two, you know, for
father doesn't wish us to be tired."
"I'm not a bit tired, Jasper," said Phronsie, "and I do so very much
wish we could go to-day."
"O dear me!" exclaimed Jasper, with a little laugh, "why, we've only
just come, Phronsie! It won't be so very long before we'll be off.
Goodness! the time flies so here, it seems to me we sha'n't hardly turn
around before those donkeys will be coming into this yard after us to
get on their backs."
But Phronsie thought the time had never dragged so in all her small
life; and, although she went about hanging to Grandpapa's hand as sweet
and patient as ever, all her mind was on the donkeys; and whenever she
saw one,--and the street was full, especially at morning and in the
late afternoon, of the little beasts of burden, clattering up the stony
roads,--she would beg to just go and pat one of the noses, if by chance
one of the beasts should stand still long enough to admit of such
attention.
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