After this they went to where the rushes were growing and gathered some for a belt for Dante. Strange as it may sound to you, dear children, as fast as they gathered one rush another sprang up in its place. They bound these enchanted rushes around Dante’s waist, and he was now ready for the upward climb and was quite eager to begin. They turned and looked once more at the ocean. Dante’s eyes were just beginning to get used to the sunlight. Suddenly he saw a strange white light coming along the sea towards them. He was astonished. As it came nearer and nearer the light grew more and more dazzling, and Dante saw that it was a _glorious and radiant angel_! He fell upon his knees and dropped his gaze to the ground, for the face of the angel was so bright that he could not look upon it. The strange and beautiful being came swiftly forward, bringing with him a small boat full of people, the very water became resplendent with light as the boat moved swiftly through it, yet the angel had neither oar nor sail. His shining wings, spread high above his head, seemed to waft the boat along by some invisible power. He landed the people, and--quick as a sunbeam, was gone. The newly arrived souls came up to Dante and Virgil and inquired the way, for they too were going up the steep rough mountain, around which wound a difficult path. The end of the path no one could see. They walked along together for a short distance, and while Virgil was searching the ground for the right path, Dante lifted his eyes upward and saw some people looking over a rocky wall that bordered the road on the next bend above them. To these fellow-travellers he called for help, as he felt sure they must have found the right road up the mountain’s side. They gladly pointed out the spot where Virgil and Dante could find the way, and soon our two travellers were upon it. But now arose a serious difficulty. From the growing [Illustration: Copyrighted 1892] twilight they knew that night was coming on, and in this strange, new country nobody dared travel in the dark. There were too many pitfalls and stumbling blocks to make it safe to travel without the light of the sun. Virgil knew that the wisest and best thing to do in hours of darkness was to keep still and wait for more light. A man whom they had met on the road pointed out a safe little valley where they could stay until the sunlight came once more. Ah, how I wish you could have seen that valley!