strongly upon their faces and forms, and cast upon them a clear and
brilliant illumination, which was strongly contrasted with the dark
depths of the forest behind them.

The children were silent, and stood still for a few minutes, gazing on
the scene with feelings of admiration and awe. They expected to have
capered about and laughed, but they found that they had no disposition
to do so. The enjoyment they felt was not of that kind which leads
children to caper and laugh. They stood still, and looked silently and
soberly on the flashing flames, the lurid light, the bright red
reflections on the woods, the banks, and the water,--and on the volumes
of glowing smoke and sparks which ascended to the sky.

Before long, however, the light fuel upon the top of the piles was
burned up, and there remained great glowing heaps of embers, and logs
of wood still flaming. These the boys began to poke about with long
poles that Jonas had cut for them, to make them burn brighter, and to
see the sparks go up. Presently they heard their father calling them.

The boys all stopped to listen.

"We are going home," said he; "we shall take cold if we stand still
here. You may stay, however, with Jonas, only you must not sit down."

So Rollo's father and mother turned away, and walked along back towards
the house, the light shining more and more faintly upon them, until they
were lost among the trees.

"Why do you suppose we must not sit down?" said Lucy.