to guide us. Indeed, I have some reason
to think that we shall find it not far off; and that is why I speak with
such confidence, in saying, that we might not be so deficient in the
materials for paper-making."

"What reason, brother Karl? Perhaps you have seen something like it?"

"I have. Some time ago, when I was strolling about, I passed through a
thicket of low shrubs--the tops of which reached up to my breast. They
were then in flower--the flowers being of a lilac colour, and growing at
the tops of the branches in little cymes. They had no corolla--only a
coloured calyx. Now these characters correspond with those of the
daphne. Besides, the leaves were lanceolate, velvety on the surface,
and of purplish colour; and the flowers were of an exceedingly sweet
scent--as is the case with all the daphnads. I did not think of
examining them at the time; but, now that I recall these
characteristics, I feel almost certain that the shrubs were of this
genus."

"Do you think you can find the thicket again?"

"Oh! yes, easily enough. It is not very distant from the place, where
we were so near fighting that fearful duel."

"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Caspar, in reply to the significant remark of the
botanist. "But, brother!" continued he, "suppose it should prove to be
the shrub you speak of, what good would there be in our finding it, so
long as we don't understand the process of manufacturing it into paper?"

"How do you know that we don't?" said Karl, challenging the too positive
declaration of Caspar. "I am not so sure that we don't. I have read
the whole account of the process, as given by one of the old writers
upon China. It is very simple; and I think I remember enough to be able
to follow it. Perhaps not to make fine paper, that one might write
upon; but something that would serve our purpose just as well. We don't
want the best `cream-laid.' Unfortunately, we have no post-office here.
I wish we had. If we can fabricate anything as fine as the coarsest
packing-paper, it will do well enough for a kite, I fancy."

"True," replied Caspar. "It would be all the better to be coarse and
strong. But, dear Karl, suppose we go at once, and see if we can
discover the trees."

"That is just what we shall do," replied Karl, rising as he spoke, and
preparing to set out in search of the daphne.

All, of course, went together: for Ossaroo was as much interested in the
result of the exploration as any of them; a