Eric's care, and require you to obey and refer to him. You may start
to-morrow morning, which will give you time to spend a day and night at
Strasbourg, and to meet me at Lucerne, on the evening of the day after
to-morrow."

"Hurrah! hurrah!" screamed Johnny, leaping to his feet, "hurrah for
Strasbourg and its wonderful clock! Three cheers for--Good gracious!"

The excited boy's exuberant spirits went up with Eric's guide-book to the
ceiling of the room, and returned in bewilderment as the unfortunate book
came down in a basin of water in which he had been sailing his magnetic
ship.

"An encouraging beginning that," remarked his father, gravely.

"I didn't mean to, Eric," Johnny said quite meekly; "I guess 'twill dry in
the sun."

"Then you had better put it there," said Mr. Van Rasseulger; "you are
tearing the leaves by holding the book in your wet hands." Johnny spread
the guide-book upon a sunny window-seat, listening with interest to Eric's
proposal.

"I must study the route on the map down stairs; and if you are willing,
uncle John, I will go out now with Johnny and get the tickets."

"Certainly," said his uncle; "but my advice would be to study a dry
guide-book and the map before getting the tickets; there may be a choice
of routes."

This was excellent advice, as the boys soon found. There were three
routes, and some time elapsed before they decided upon one.

At length they chose the shortest of all, as their time was limited and
they wanted it all for Strasbourg. Their choice, therefore, fell upon the
most direct route, it being straight across the country of France, and for
a distance of about two hundred and fifty miles traversed by rail.

They consulted with Monsieur Richarte, the landlord, and their uncle, and
decided to take an early train on the following morning. A ride of eight
hours would suffice for the journey, and their early start would enable
them to have a few hours for sight-seeing in the day and twilight.

But tourists should always allow for detention. For although Mr. Van
Rasseulger saw them safely aboard the early train in the morning, an
accident detained them at Vitry, and when they reached Strasbourg it was
night--a dark, rainy, dismal night.

They rode directly to the principal hotel, a large, roomy,
comfortable-looking place, and immediately after supper proceeded to their
room for the night.

Before retiring, Johnny looked out from between the crimson window
curtains,