ld, the warlike
sentiments being just the same, though the setting of the century might
differ. It was so interesting that nobody gave a thought to the time, or
remembered the ominous clouds that had been stretching themselves out
like long ribbons over the moor.

"Why, where's the view gone to?" cried Monica at last. "I thought we
could see Linforth and the lake from here, and the tower of Haversleigh
Church."

She might well exclaim in astonishment. Instead of the landscape which
had met their eyes before, there was nothing to be seen but a great
white wall of mist that seemed to close them in on every side, as if
some giant hand had suddenly drawn down a blind between them and the
distance.

"Whew!" exclaimed Ralph, starting to his feet, and indulging in a
long-drawn-out whistle. "This is a nice fix! We're in the middle of a
cloud. I never saw it coming up. It will be uncommonly awkward to get
out of it. What a shame of old Pendle Tor to play us such a trick!"

"Will it soon blow over, do you think?" asked Irene.

"I don't know," replied Meta rather gravely. "Sometimes the clouds stay
on these moors for days and days together. I wish we had noticed it
sooner, and gone down to the road again before we were surrounded. I'm
afraid it may be very difficult to find our way now."

"I don't think it's any use waiting," said Leonard, "it mayn't clear for
hours. We'd better pack up our traps, and make the best push we can to
try to strike the path."

"We must all stick close together," remarked Ralph. "It won't do to get
divided, or we might never find each other again. We'd better keep well
to the right; there's an old quarry on the left, and it wouldn't be
exactly pleasant to walk into it. Luckily I've a pocket compass on my
watch chain."

Very much sobered in spirits, the picnic party hastily packed up the
baskets, and, choosing Ralph as guide, set off down the hillside, hoping
to find some track that would lead eventually into the road below. It
was a strange walk, groping their way through what Monica described as
"white darkness". The heavy mist hung in the air like a blanket, so
completely shutting them in that they could scarcely see each other at a
distance of even a few feet, and it was only by keeping near enough to
touch one another that they managed to avoid being separated. Though
they had some general idea of their direction, they did not really know
where they were walking, and stumbled blindly on th