road now," interposed Ralph. "Everything appears to be quiet. Let us go on carefully, and cross over."

This was accomplished without accident. It was now fully eleven o'clock, and it must not be imagined that there was quiet all about them. In the distance were sounds of the movement of horses, the clang of metal and the rumbling of wheels, even at this late hour.

Indeed, they had hardly passed the highway, when a train of vehicles came along. All these things became familiar to them, just as noises and sounds will become dull to the ear through frequent and constant repetition.

They talked but little, and moved across the next field with considerable speed. A field of barley was reached, and soon passed, then an orchard, and the inevitable vineyard. A house, or78 other building, would suddenly loom up, and then a new direction would have to be taken.

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"What bothers me most is to get the right direction again after we circle about the houses," said Alfred.

"Yes, I forgot to look at the Great Dipper, so as to locate the North Star. Do you remember, Alfred, how grandfather instructed us to find the true north?" asked Ralph.

"I am afraid I would not be able to explain it," answered Alfred.

"Well, look at the two stars opposite the handle. A line run out from those two stars always points to the North Polar star," replied Ralph.

"I remember now," answered Alfred; "there it is, that bright star. Well, I shall try it the next time we are forced to go around a building."

For the benefit of the reader, a sketch is given of the dipper, and the relative position of Polaris, the great North Star. The dotted line A, which runs through the two stars Dubhe and Merak, also passes through Polaris.

Progress was slow owing to these detours, and when the first stream was reached the boys were glad to bathe their faces, then they sat down to rest. Where the stream was crossed appeared to be a secluded spot, and the silence was such that it was almost oppressive to them.

Suddenly a great bell rang out in the distance, and the boys counted the strokes. It was twelve o'clock, and they heard the bell of a great château, eight miles west of Liège.

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