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."

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