his long journey the way suddenly grew lighter, and Zeb put out the
lanterns to save the oil.

To their joy they found it was a white light that now greeted them,
for all were weary of the colored rainbow lights which, after a time,
had made their eyes ache with their constantly shifting rays. The
sides of the tunnel showed before them like the inside of a long
spy-glass, and the floor became more level. Jim hastened his lagging
steps at this assurance of a quick relief from the dark passage, and
in a few moments more they had emerged from the mountain and found
themselves face to face with a new and charming country.



8. The Valley of Voices


By journeying through the glass mountain they had reached a delightful
valley that was shaped like the hollow of a great cup, with another
rugged mountain showing on the other side of it, and soft and pretty
green hills at the ends. It was all laid out into lovely lawns and
gardens, with pebble paths leading through them and groves of
beautiful and stately trees dotting the landscape here and there.
There were orchards, too, bearing luscious fruits that are all unknown
in our world. Alluring brooks of crystal water flowed sparkling
between their flower-strewn banks, while scattered over the valley were
dozens of the quaintest and most picturesque cottages our travelers
had ever beheld. None of them were in clusters, such as villages or
towns, but each had ample grounds of its own, with orchards and
gardens surrounding it.