WILLIE AND LUCY ABROAD.

BY THE AUTHOR OF

"WILLIE AND LUCY AT THE SEA-SIDE;" "WILLIE AND LUCY AT HOME;" "HUNGERING AND THIRSTING;" ETC.

[Agnes Giberne]

LONDON:

THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY

56, PATERNOSTER ROW; 65, ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD; AND 164, PICCADILLY. MANCHESTER: 100, CORPORATION STREET. BRIGHTON: 31, WESTERN ROAD.

LONDON PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER.

I. GOING ABROAD

II. ON BOARD THE STEAMER

III. WILLIE'S MISTAKE

IV. SNOW-PEAKS

V. A SWISS WALK

VI. UP A MOUNTAIN

VII. A ROW ON THE LAKE

VIII. WILLIE'S FALL

IX. THE END

WILLIE AND LUCY ABROAD.

CHAPTER I.

GOING ABROAD.

"MAMMA," said Willie Gray, one morning, stopping short in the midst of building a high brick tower upon the floor—"Mamma, Nurse says it is just a year since we went to the sea-side."

"Nurse is quite right, Willie."

"Are you going to take us to the sea-side again this summer, Mamma?"

"No, I think not," said Mrs. Gray, smiling a little.

"I am sorry for that," said Willie; "because I should like so much to dig in the sand, and to make houses and hills and rivers, and to swim my boat, and to row on the water. It would be very nice. Are we going to stay at home all the summer, Mamma?"

"No, I hope we are going somewhere," said Mrs. Gray. "Guess where it is to be, Willie."

"Into the country?" asked Willie.

"No, not the country."

"To London?" asked Willie, with rather a grave face, for he thought that would not be half so nice.

"No, not London either."

"Then, I don't know where it can be, if it is not either sea-side, or London, or country," said Willie.

"You were saying just now that you were fond of making hills on the sand," said Mrs. Gray. "But those are very little hills, Willie. How would you like to see real hills—very, very high ones?"

"I should like it very much," said Willie. "I would scamper up them with Pepper, and see which could run the fastest."

"Pepper will have to stay at home, I am afraid. Do you know what the very highest hills are called?"

"Mountains," said Willie.

"Have you ever seen a mountain?" asked Mrs. Gray.

"No, Mamma; because you told me, you know, that we have not got great mountains in England. I should like to see a tall great mountain very much. Are we then going to see a mountain this year? Oh, Mamma, are we?"

Willie gave a great jump of delight as his Mamma's face showed him that he had found out the truth at last.

"Not one mountain only, Willie, but a great many. We are going to a country which has some of the highest mountains in the world. Do you know where Mont Blanc is?"

"Mont Blanc," said Willie, slowly. "I had that in my lessons only a little while ago, and you told me that it meant White Mountain, because it always has snow upon it."

"Yes, that is the reason the name was given, no doubt. Good boy, not to forget what you are told. And in what country is Mont Blanc?"

Willie did not look very certain.

"It is in Switzerland, Willie."

"And are we going to Switzerland?" asked Willie. "And are we going to live up on the top of Mont Blanc?"

"That is a silly question, Willie. You are not thinking what you are saying. Do you not know what I told you about those very high mountains?"

"Oh yes! You said it was so hard to get to the top, and the cold there is dreadful, and people cannot breathe well up there. Mamma, I don't mean are we going to live on the top, but are we going to Mont Blanc?"

"No, not to Mont Blanc, but to a village on the shores of a great lake in the same country. Look here, Willie."

Mrs. Gray pulled out her watch as she spoke. Willie had often seen it before, but he always liked to see it again. It was such a tiny little gold watch, with such bright jewels shining in the back.

"Do you know where this watch was made?" asked Mrs. Gray.

"Was it not at a shop?" asked Willie.

"Yes, but not any shop in England. It was made at Geneva. And Geneva is a town built at the end of a lovely lake, which is called the Lake of Geneva."

"And are we going to live at Geneva?" asked Willie.

"Not to live in Switzerland at all, Willie; for we are only going for a few weeks. We shall stay in a village near the other end of the lake, and I hope you may have many a scramble in the mountains."

"It will be very, very nice," said Willie. "And how soon shall we go, Mamma?"

"Next week, I hope."

Willie clapped his hands, and then said, "May I go and tell Lucy?"

"Yes, run away. She does not know yet."

Willie dashed upstairs in a great hurry, and threw open the nursery door, calling out—

"Lucy, Lucy, only hear! Where do you think we are going this summer?"

Lucy was sitting on her little low chair, with her doll in her lap, putting on its best frock, and she was so busy that she did not answer.

"Lucy," Willie cried again, "where do you think we are going?"

"I don't know," said Lucy, trying to tie some very short frock strings, and then giving a sigh. "Nurse, I do wish I had a bit of tape for my dolly."

"I'll give you a piece, Miss Lucy. How long do you want it?"

"Lucy, you don't care a bit about my news," said Willie, half-vexed. "I don't think I will tell you any more."

"I'll listen just in a minute," said Lucy, looking up. "I only want to tie my dolly's frock. Thank you, Nursie. Now, Willie."

But Willie was rather put out. He walked to the window, and stood looking into the garden.

"Come, Master Willie," said Nurse, "what is it?"

"Lucy doesn't care," said Willie, in a tone which sounded just a little sulky.

"I do," said Lucy, looking up at him. "I am sure I want to hear your news, Willie."

"It's about our going out somewhere this summer," said Willie, twisting round, with his back to the window; "but I don't think I will tell you now."

"Oh! Yes you will," said Nurse. "It would not be kind if you did not."

"Nurse, do 'you' know?" asked Willie.

And Nurse nodded her head.

"Don't tell Lucy, because I want to tell," said Willie, all at once in a great hurry to speak. "Lucy, we are going to Switzerland."

"Are we?" said Lucy. "I would rather go to the sea-side."

"Oh no, you wouldn't, because we shall see real mountains, and ice and snow in summer," said Willie. "And we shall have to cross over the sea. Nurse, I wonder if it will be like that day when you came from France once before. You told us, you know, that the water poured over the deck, and through the skylight, and right down upon you. I should like to see that."

"Thank you, Master Willie, but I think I would rather keep dry this time," said Nurse, laughing.

"Ah! But I only meant that I wanted to see the rough water—not to see you wet, Nurse."

————————————

CHAPTER II.

ON BOARD THE STEAMER.

THE next week was a busy time indeed with all the making ready for the journey. Willie and Lucy wanted very much to help in the packing, and thought it very great fun, but somehow they always found themselves in the way. They began to learn at last that the best way of helping was to keep in corners as much as they could.

Then the day came on which it had been fixed that they should all start. A fly came to the door, and the luggage was piled on the top, and they drove off to the station. They went by train to London, and there changed into a second train, which took them down to Dover. And when they reached Dover, they went straight on board the steamer which was to carry them to France.

Willie was so full of delight and wonder at all the new things he saw that, as Nurse said, he was "half out of his wits." He stumbled up against other people, and tripped his feet over boxes and ropes, and stared about him without seeing where he went, till Mr. Gray took his hand, and held it tightly, quite afraid that Willie would be lost in the bustle.

At last they were all safely on board, and the piles of luggage were stowed away, and no one else seemed coming. And then Willie gave a little jump, and cried out:

"Oh Mamma, we're off!"

"I don't like it," said Lucy, who was seated on Mrs. Gray's knee, and clinging to her, as if rather afraid. "I don't like such a noise."

"We are not going to have such a noise now," said Mrs. Gray, kissing her. "Sit up, Lucy, and see how pretty the water looks, and how the sun sparkles on it. We are not going to have a rough trip at all."

"Then the waves won't pour over the deck, will they?" said Willie, looking rather sober. "I wanted to see that."

"So you wanted to have a shower-bath, and be sent down to the cabin, did you, my little man?" said a voice close by.

Willie turned, and gazed up at the speaker, and thought he looked a very nice kind old gentleman indeed.

"No, I don't want to go down in the cabin at all to stay," said Willie. "I should like to stay up on deck all the while. But I did want to see it rough."

"Come with me, and you shall see it rough in one place," said the old gentleman.

Willie looked at his Mamma, but she nodded and smiled; so Willie gave his hand to the old gentleman, and ran along by his side. They went through a crowd of people sitting about on the deck, with children, and shawls, and bags, and baskets. And soon they reached the side of the steamer.

"Look over," said the old gentleman.

Willie did look over, and said:—

"Oh! Isn't it pretty? Oh, that is so rough!"

"What makes so much foam?" asked the old gentleman.

"The paddle-wheel," said Willie. "Oh, doesn't it sparkle?—And what big waves we leave behind us! I should like to go down quite close to all that white foam."

The old gentleman let Willie look until he was tired. Then, sitting down, he took Willie between his knees and said:—

"Now, suppose you tell me your name."

"Willie Gray," said Willie.

"Ah!—A nice quiet useful name. And you don't ask mine back?"

Willie seemed puzzled for a moment, and then said:—

"No, because it would be rude."

"Quite right, my little man. I am glad you are so well taught. Old gentlemen may ask many questions of little boys, which little boys could not ask of old gentlemen without great rudeness."

"Yes, I know," said Willie, nodding his head.

"And where are you going now, I wonder?" asked the gentleman.

"We are going to Switzerland," said Willie. "And we shall see great mountains, with snow on the tops of them in hot weather."

"Then I hope you will enjoy them very much," said the old gentleman. "Did you ever see a mountain before?"

"No," said Willie. "I have seen some hills, but never a real mountain."

"I think you will admire them very much. Look here, little Willie Gray."

Willie looked up in the old gentleman's face.

"Perhaps I may never happen to meet you again after to-day. It is most likely not. Shall I give you a little thought to carry away, and to keep in your mind, so that it will come back to you when you think of this steamer, and the paddle-wheel, and the foam, and the water?"

Willie could not think what the old gentleman meant, but he said, "Please."

"It is pretty there, is it not?" said the gentleman, pointing down to where the white sparkling foam rushed in a torrent past.

"Oh, very pretty!" said Willie.

"And the sea is pretty too, with its blue colour, and the blue sky over, and the bright sunshine?"

"I think it is all lovely," said Willie.

"Lovely it is—much more than just pretty. And the mountains which you are going to see, Willie—you will find them more grand and lovely than you can fancy now."

"Yes," said Willie.

"And I dare say Willie Gray knows who made all this beauty," said the old gentleman.

"God made it," said Willie slowly.

"Aye, God made it, Willie. He made the earth, and He gave the earth its beauty. He made the sea, and He gave the sea its beauty. He made the mountains, and birds, and flowers, and He gave them all their beauty. But He need not have done so. He might have made them all plain, and dark, and ugly. We don't deserve to have one bit of beauty round us."

"I am glad we have," said Willie. "I shouldn't like to see all the world ugly."

"Ah! But what ought we to learn from all this beauty that God has given us to enjoy? What does it show?"

"I think it shows that God loves us," said Willie, after a little thought.

"That is what I mean," said the old gentleman, patting Willie's head. "Don't forget that, my little man. Never look at beauty, and think only, 'How lovely it is!' But thank God in your heart, and think how kind and loving it is of God to give us such beauty and joy."

"I know that text: 'God so loved the world,'" said Willie.

"Tell me how it goes on, Willie. Does it say, 'He loved the world so much that He gave it beauty?'"

"No," said Willie. "'God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

"Aye; there is the greatest love of all," said the old gentleman. "It is kind and loving of God to send us so much beauty and joy as we have in our sinful world. But that is nothing to the love He showed in sending His own dear Son to die for our sins upon the Cross, that all—you and I too, Willie—might be safe for ever, if we put our trust in Him. Willie, if you know something, even a little, of the love of God, you are a happy little boy. If not, I pray that you may know it soon."

Then the old gentleman took Willie back to Mr. and Mrs. Gray, talking to him and telling him stories all the way as they went.

————————————

CHAPTER III.

WILLIE'S MISTAKE.

WHEN the steamer reached Calais, Mr. and Mrs. Gray, and Willie, and Lucy, and Nurse, went on shore. They slept that night at an hotel, and Willie thought it seemed very funny indeed to hear all the people talking French round him. The servant came in and spoke to Mrs. Gray, and Mrs. Gray spoke back, and Willie could not make out a word of what they said; so he began to laugh. But Mrs. Gray told him that was not polite, for the servant might think he was laughing at her. So Willie squeezed his hand over his mouth, and did his best to look grave.

Next day, they went on by train to Paris, and stayed there for two nights.

Willie thought the journey all very nice, but he was so eager to see the mountains that he would have liked to get on faster.

They had one day in a "diligence," that is, a large rumbling coach. Willie and Lucy were both very much pleased to have to get up and dress by candlelight at one o'clock in the morning, and to start in the coach at two. But they both grew very sleepy and tired as the fourteen hours of their long drive passed away, and Willie wanted very much to jump out sometimes, and take a run, and stretch his cramped legs.

It roused them quite up at last, though, to reach the high Jura Mountains. Willie rubbed his eyes, and began to look about him again quite briskly, and said:—

"Are we really going up a mountain, Mamma? And where is the snow?"

"The Jura Mountains are not high enough to keep snow on them all through the summer, dear," said Mrs. Gray. "Still they are very much higher than any hills you have ever seen."

Willie thought so too when the "diligence" had reached the top, and began to go down on the other side.

It was such a steep sharp zig-zag on which they drove, that Nurse was quite afraid lest the great "diligence" should topple over and fall down the mountain; but Mr. Gray said they need not have any fear. Willie clapped his hands when he saw a little chaise going quickly down in the bends of the road far below them. And, though the road was so steep, both the little chaise and the great "diligence" reached the bottom of the mountain quite safely.

Mr. and Mrs. Gray had settled to sleep in Geneva this night—the very same place where Mrs. Gray's pretty watch came from. Willie made a funny mistake when they first got there. Mr. Gray stayed behind at the station to see after the boxes, and sent on the others in a cab to the hotel. As soon as they were in their rooms, Willie ran to the window; and there, instead of the road, he saw a great deep strong stream of water, like a wide river, rushing past quite close to the house. Willie called out so loud that he startled the others.

"What is the matter, Master Willie?" asked Nurse.

"Oh Nurse, Nurse, look here!" cried Willie, in great distress. "There has been a flood, and the water has come right over the road, and Papa will be drowned."

"Why, Master Willie, that is the river," said Nurse.

"Oh no! It's the road. Look, it is close up to the house," said Willie, almost sobbing. "And Papa will never be able to drive here from the station."

Nurse took Willie's hand without a word, and, leading him into a second room across the passage, she told him to look out of the window.

"Why, there's the very road we came by. Oh Nurse, I'm so glad!" said Willie, in great relief. "But what is all that water?"

"Why, that is the river, Master Willie. That is at the back of the hotel, and the road is in front of it."

"The river?" said Willie.

"Yes, the river Rhone, Willie," said his Mamma, who was in the room. "Did you never hear the name of the Rhone at your lessons?"

Willie was not quite sure whether he had, but he felt very certain that he would never forget it again from this time. He liked to stand at the window of the other room and look down at the wide deep water, rushing and rushing past, and never stopping for a single instant. He thought even the snowy mountains could hardly be more lovely.

And, to tell the truth, Willie at first thought them a great deal less lovely. For the next day was damp, and dull, and drizzling, with heavy clouds low down in the sky. They had to finish off their long journey in a steamer, which took them from one end of the lake to the other, and it was a very dismal voyage indeed. Then, when they landed, they drove through pouring rain to the little village of Veytaux, where a friend had chosen them some lodgings.

But the lodgings were not so nice as Mr. and Mrs. Gray had wished. It was a dull little house, just in the middle of the village, and the sitting-room had only one window looking into a small yard, with high walls round it and a mulberry tree standing in the middle. Little Lucy was so tired that she curled herself up on the sofa and went sound asleep. And Willie stood by the window, looking out, and saying in a doleful tone:—

"Mamma, I don't like Switzerland one bit. It isn't the least like what I thought it was going to be."

"Wait a little, Willie," said his Mamma, smiling. "I don't like this house, I confess, but Papa will look out for other lodgings in a day or two. And as for Switzerland, you have not seen it yet."

"I don't care for the mountains," said Willie. "I am sure they don't look high."

"No, because you cannot see much of them—the clouds come so low down their sides."

"Do the tops go up higher than those clouds, Mamma?"

"Indeed they do. The mountains are all wearing night-caps to-day."

"I think they are day-caps," said Willie, "and very wet ones too, Mamma."

That little bit of a laugh cheered Willie up. He ate a very good tea, and then was glad to go to bed and to sleep, hoping to wake up and see something better worth looking at than low grey clouds next morning.

CHAPTER IV.

SNOW-PEAKS.

"WELL, Willie," said Mr. Gray the next morning, which was Sunday, "what do you think of Switzerland now?"

"Nurse says it is going to be a fine day, Papa."

"Have you seen the mountains yet?"

"No, Papa. There's only a wall, and a tree, to be seen from my room."

"Come here and look out."

There was not much to be seen here either, except the little yard with its mulberry tree. But, by standing close to the window, Willie could catch a glimpse of a clear white patch high up against the blue sky.

"Do you know what that is, Willie?"

"Isn't it a cloud, Papa?"

"That is the snowy summit of a mountain—the Dent du Midi, as it is called. It is a long way off from here, and it has seven peaks rising up, all in a row, but you cannot see them all from this window."

"It looks very high up," said Willie, slowly. "But I did not think mountains were like that, Papa. It seems more like a cloud."

"You will see the whole mountain more plainly by-and-by. There are mists below, hiding the sides. It is a grand sight, Willie."

"Please let me see too," said Lucy.