e was not much to be
seen except the gnarled and venerable trunks of the trees, on each side
of the road, as the light of the diligence lanterns flashed upon them.

The postilions drove exceedingly fast all the way over the marshes. The
stage stopped three times to change horses. Mr. George kept up a
continual conversation with Rollo all the way, in order to prevent him
from going to sleep; for, as I have said before, it is considered
dangerous to sleep while on the marshes.

About midnight Rollo proposed that they should eat their supper.

"No," said Mr. George, "we will keep our supper for the last thing. As
long as we can keep awake without it we will."

So they went on for two hours longer. About one o'clock the moon rose,
and the moonbeams shining in through the windows of the coupe, enlivened
the interior very much.

"The moonlight makes it a great deal pleasanter," said Rollo.

"Yes," said Mr. George, "and it will make it a great deal more
convenient for us to eat our supper."

The diligence stopped at a post house to change horses, a little before
two, and immediately after it set out again. Mr. George said that it was
time for them to take their supper. So Rollo opened the two bags, and
took out from one the chicken and the two rolls, and from the other the
bottle of coffee and the oranges. He placed the things, as he took them
out, in a large pocket before him, in the front of the coupe. Mr. George
took two newspapers out of his knapsack, one for Rollo and one for
himself, to spread in their laps while they were eating. Then, with a
sharp blade of his pocket knife, he began to carve the chicken.

The chicken was very tender, and the rolls were very nice; and as,
moreover, both the travellers were quite hungry, they found the supper
in all respects excellent. For drink, they had the juice of the oranges.
To drink this juice, they cut a round hole in one end of the orange, and
then run the blade of the knife in, in all directions, so as to break up
the pulp. They could then drink out the juice very conveniently.

At the close of the supper they drank the coffee. The coffee was cold,
it is true, but it was very good, and it made an excellent ending to the
meal.

They made the supper last as long as possible, in order to occupy the
time. It was three o'clock before it was finished and the papers cleared
away. At half past three, Rollo, in looking out at the window, saw a
sort of bank by the side of the