30 DAYS IN DOVE DALE 



You will remember that just above the point 

 where the stepping-stones are, and opposite to 

 where the old woman keeps her donkeys, the 

 left side of the river is fenced off by a strong 

 iron gate, with notice-board warning intruders 

 to go away ; but I had the right (useless with- 

 out the key) to pass this barrier at any time. 



"The gate is not really locked," said he ; "it 

 sticks in a peculiar way, and 'it can only be 

 opened by a secret trick," which he imparted 

 to me. Unluckily it happened that I had not 

 quite learnt the trick. I thought he had told 

 me to lift the gate lightly off its hinges and so 

 pass through, deftly dropping it on again. 



So I marched up to the gate and tried the 

 little dodge ; but, alas ! the gate is made of 

 iron, and must weigh, at least, half a ton ! I 

 lifted and strained with all my might, but not 

 a bit would it move. 



I had imagined from the way the brawny 

 keeper spoke of it that I had only to touch 

 it with my little finger and up it would go ! 

 But brawny and muscular as he is, I defy him 

 and another man to boot to lift that gate off its 

 hinges ; and yet he could not have intended to 

 deceive me. I must have mislearnt my lesson. 



