A weird sound arose.  The high walls echoed it, the dark ceiling flung it back.  It went trembling into far places and returned, shattered yet with its weird quality unabated.

It was the children weeping!

It seemed their hearts would break, because of the dreary place into which they had been brought.  And during this time the Masked Lady only stood and looked upon the children silently.

Everychild could scarcely believe his own eyes, and he began a more careful examination of the cavern.

He came upon water in half-hidden pools.  “But,” he reflected, “we could not drink of this water if we were thirsty.  It is quite black.”

He examined the paths which led from one place to another.  “We could not walk in these paths,” he mused, “because they are too rough.”

He examined the natural stairways which led to the upper chambers of the cavern.  “But we could not climb those stairways,” he decided, “since they are too steep.”

He came upon beds which had been spread for himself and his companions.  “We could not sleep in these,” was his conclusion, “because they are too hard.”

And as he continued his examination he became aware that he was standing close to Will o’Dreams; and something in his friend’s manner caused him to pause and observe him more closely.

Because of the fulness of his heart he put forth a hand and touched his friend’s arm.  The arm trembled.  And then the sad truth became known.  The scenes he had been called upon to witness here in the cavern had been too much for Will o’Dreams.  He had been stricken with blindness!

It did not seem strange to Everychild that he should wish to run immediately and tell the Masked Lady of what had befallen the giant.  Surely he must have felt a certain confidence in her, after all!

But when she had been informed of the giant’s plight she only said, “Let us be patient.”

And then she began to speak to all the children, calling their attention to this matter or that.  “Do not be afraid to drink of the water,” she said.  “It seems black.  That is only because it is deep.”

And drinking of the water, they found it to be sweet and refreshing.

“Do not hold back from wandering in the paths,” she added.  “Your feet will take them easily.”

And wandering in the paths they found that they were not so rough as they had imagined them.

“Do not falter if you wish to climb the stairways,” she continued.  “Only try them.”

And they tried them, and found that their limbs responded joyously to the effort they were putting forth.

“Do not shrink from sleeping in the beds which have been provided,” she said at last.  “They may surprise you.”

And lying down in the beds which had seemed so uninviting, the children were wooed to slumber.  They were really comfortable beds, after all!