"Suppose we vote," said Katy. "I say by the Pilgrim's Path and the Hill
of Difficulty."

"So do I!" chimed in Clover, who always agreed with Katy.

"The Path of Peace is nice," suggested Cecy.

"No, no! We want to go by Sassafras Path!" cried John and Dorry.

However, Katy, as usual, had her way. It was agreed that they should
first try Pilgrim's Path, and afterward make a thorough exploration of
the whole of their little kingdom, and see all that had happened since
last they were there. So in they marched, Katy and Cecy heading the
procession, and Dorry, with his great trailing bunch of boughs, bringing
up the rear.

"Oh, there is the dear Rosary, all safe!" cried the children, as they
reached the top of the Hill of Difficulty, and came upon a tall stump,
out of the middle of which waved a wild rose-bush, budded over with
fresh green eaves. This "Rosary" was a fascinating thing to their minds.
They were always inventing stories about it, and were in constant terror
lest some hungry cow should take a fancy to the rose-bush and eat it up.

"Yes," said Katy, stroking a leaf with her finger, "it was in great
danger one night last winter, but it escaped."

"Oh, how? Tell us about it!" cried the others, for Katy's stories were
famous in the family.

"It was Christmas Eve," continued Katy, in a mysterious tone. "The fairy