."

"And when you visit Franz's father, you can visit mine," suggested
Fritz.

"And mine," echoed Paul.

"If it should suit me at any time to visit Michelstadt, I would
certainly be pleased to make the acquaintance of the fathers of such
gentlemanly boys."

The triplets smiled, touched their hats, started off again and were soon
out of sight.

The journey that beautiful afternoon was truly charming, the sun shining
brightly and all nature refreshed from its bath the evening before, and
birds singing jubilantly in the trees by the roadside, but best of all,
they were going home, would see all their loved ones before sunset, and
would hear of the many, many things that had transpired during their
absence.

"When we come in sight of the village, we will be as quiet as mice,"
remarked Fritz. "I would not have the Trojans see us for anything."

"Why?" asked Paul.

"Because we look so shabby with our battered hats and our rusty shoes."

"I will tell you what we can do," suggested Franz. "Our house comes
first, and although it is only on the edge of the forest, it is easy for
you two to go through the woods back of it, and come out at your own
houses, and not a person in the village will know that we are at home
until we choose to show ourselves."

This stroke of policy was such a comfort that the spirits of the boys
grew so jubilant that they laughed, chatted and sang, and even organized
a parade in which Franz was drummer and Fritz and Paul fifers.

They were going along merrily, when they were startled by hearing
"Hurrah!" shouted from behind a clump of bushes on the edge of the
forest, and two of the Trojans came from behind it and stood grinning
and pointing their fingers at the hats and shoes of the Grecian heroes.
They were followed by a whole troop of their schoolmates, many of them
Trojans, and accompanied by the Director, and Paul's father. They had
been to a tournament and had made a short cut through the forest on
their way to the village. The two teachers shook their heads and smiled
at the appearance of the triplets, and the Trojans indulged in shouts
and laughter.

"Let us stick a spray of laurel in their hats in token that they came
back victors," and the Trojan who suggested it ran off to the bushes,
followed by the others.

"I am glad that they have come back with whole shins," said Professor
Roth as he embraced his son tenderly, and shook hands with Fritz and
Franz.

"But we might not, if