"Oh," replied Linde, "that's a good thing to know. I often see fairy rings, but I had no idea they had a door in the middle. Then tell me more, please. I must wait till I hear the fairy clock strike twelve, and then--will the door open? And--what do you want me to do? And--if I can do it, will you let me gather some roses?" "Not so fast, not so fast," said the robin. "Let me see--what was I saying? You stand here--the clock strikes, at the twelfth stroke you tap the ground with the three feathers--you have them safe?" "Yes," replied Linde, feeling for them as she spoke. "The door will then open and you will descend. That is all you require to know at present. Three nights hence, three nights hence." "But," began the little girl, "I must know something more. How am I to find my way here in the middle of the night when it is all dark? It wasn't easy to distinguish the path even by daylight, and now, even now, I don't know how to get through these thick bushes on to it. I can't see any opening in them." Instead of replying the robin suddenly spread his wings and alighted on a bush close beside her, and at once Linde perceived that there was a narrow sort of passage through the hedge. She turned towards it. "Thank you," she said, adding timidly, "May Aria come with me? Together we might find our way better perhaps. We might bring a little lantern." "It will not be needed, and you must come alone. You may tell Aria all I have told you; and if she is wise she will encourage you. I make no promises. It is not for me to do so. But this you may depend upon--never will you have cause to regret obedience to this summons," and as he spoke, he spread his wings again and flew upwards. As he passed her, there came a breath of the delicious perfume, and Linde felt that it meant a promise after all, which raised her spirits, as pushing her way through the hedge she found herself on the path outside and started on her way home. "Aria will be getting anxious," she thought. "I must hurry. I do believe it is all going to come right, but--oh dear, I do feel frightened at the idea of finding my way here alone through these gloomy woods in the very middle of the night. Why wouldn't the robin let Aria come too? I suppose it _had_ to be a rather dreadful thing to do, to make up for that cruel boy's wickedness. Oh dear, oh dear!" But as she ran on as fast as her feet would take her, some things grew clearer. She must make the best of it to her sister. She must conceal her terrors as much as possible.