he was longing to sleep, she
made ready to follow Germain. The husbandman took his boy in his arms
without awaking him, and beckoned Marie to come nearer, in order to
cover her with his cloak. For she would not take her own mantle, which
was wrapped about the child.

When he felt the young girl so close to him, Germain, who for a time had
succeeded in distracting his mind and raising his spirits, began to lose
his head once more. Two or three times he strode ahead abruptly, leaving
her to walk alone. Then seeing how hard it was for her to follow, he
waited, drew her quickly to his side, and pressed her so tight that she
was surprised, and even angry, though she dared not say so.

As they knew not the direction whence they had come, they had no idea of
that in which they were going. So they crossed the wood once more, and
found themselves afresh before the lonely moor. Then they retraced their
steps, and after much turning and twisting they spied a light across the
branches.

"Good enough! Here 's a house," exclaimed Germain. "And the people are
already astir, for the fire is lighted. It must be very late."

It was no house, but the camp-fire, which they had covered before they
left, and which had sprung up in the breeze.

They had tramped for two hours, only to find themselves at the very
place from which they had started.

X -- Beneath the Stars

"THIS time I give up," said Germain, stamping I his foot. "We are
bewitched, that is certain, and we shall not get away from here before
broad day. The devil is in this place!"

"Well, it's of no use to get angry," said Marie. "We must take what is
given us. Let us make a big fire. The child is so well wrapped up that
he is in no danger, and we shall not die from a single night out of
doors. Where have you hidden the saddle, Germain? Right in the midst of
the holly-bushes,--what a goose you are! It 's very convenient to get it
from there!"

"Stop, child; hold the boy while I pull his bed from the thorns. I did
n't want you to scratch your hands."

"It 's all done. Here 's the bed, and a few scratches are not
saber-cuts," replied the brave girl.

She proceeded to put the child to bed again, and Petit-Pierre was so
sound asleep this time that he knew nothing of his last journey. Germain
piled so much wood on the fire that the forest all about glowed with the
light.

Little Marie had come to the end of her powers, and although she did not
complain, her legs