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Through the Fire.

“Nothing can be easier. One of the wind- fairies will take you and bring you back—as the Prince will direct. You shall go, to-night. Now, dear Jack, you will do it for us, will you not? And we shall be so grateful.”

Jack did not know what to say, but he looked first at the Prince sitting on the window-sill with the rain pouring around him, looking wistfully towards him, with his handsome mournful eyes; then he looked at the Princess kneeling on the glowing coals, entreating him with clasped hands to help them, while sparks fell from her bright eyes. And they were both so beautiful that he could not bear to refuse them, and was silent.

The Princess saw at once that he wavered, and said, smiling, “Then it is settled; you will go for us. And now, dear little Jack, listen very carefully to all the directions we give you, and be sure you do all we tell you. The old man at the North Pole is very mischievous and cunning, and always does his best to deceive any one who comes to him for help. And there is one thing of which you must be very careful. You must not, whatever happens, ask him more than one question. The first question that he is

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