p, the last thing before starting, Percy; and I
noticed that the road went out past the gambling place. I dare not
take out the map again, to look at the plan of the town--it would
look too suspicious--so let us wander about, till we find the
place. It has large grounds, so we cannot miss it."

They were not long in finding the place they were looking for.
There was no mistaking it; with its long arcades leading up to the
handsome conversation rooms, its piece of water, and its
beautifully laid-out grounds.

"I should like to go in, and have a look at it," Percy said. "I can
hear the band playing, now."

"So should I," Ralph said, "but time is too precious. They will
find out at the muster, this afternoon, that we are missing and, as
we answered this morning, they will know that we cannot have got
far. We had better put as many miles between us as we can.

"First of all, though, let us put those papers Christine got us
into the envelope, and drop them into that post box. We should not
do badly, either, to buy three dark-colored blankets before we
start. It is terribly cold; and we shall want them, at night."

They therefore turned up into the town again; and then Ralph
separated from the others, and went in and bought the blankets. Ten
minutes later they were walking along, at a steady pace, from the
town. Each carried a stick. The boys carried theirs upon their
shoulder; with a bundle, containing a change of clothes and other
articles, slung upon it. Tim carried his bundle in one hand, and
walked using his stick in the other. When a short distance out of
the town, they stopped in a retired place; and put some strips of
plaster upon Tim's cheeks, and wrapped up his face with a white
bandage. It was, as he said, "mighty uncomfortable," but as he was
now able to dispense with the ball of cotton in his mouth, he did
not so much mind it.

The day was bitterly cold, for it was now the beginning of the
second week of November; but the party strode on, full of the
consciousness of freedom. They met but few people, upon their way;
and merely exchanged a brief good day with those they did meet.
They had brought some bread and cold meat with them, from Mayence;
and therefore had no need to go into any shops, at the villages
they passed.

They did not dare to sleep in a house, as it was certain that some
official would inquire for their papers; and therefore, when it
became dark, they turned off from the road and made fo