deal on account of streams and bogs and
rough patches of stone. But it was a glorious walk, during which there
was always something to examine; and at last we felt that we were
steadily going up the great rounded mass known as Dome Tor.

We had not been plodding far before I found that it was entirely
different to the hills we had climbed that day, for, in place of great
masses of rugged, weatherworn rock, the stone we found here and there
was slaty and splintery, the narrow tracks up which we walked being full
of slippery fragments, making it tiresome travelling.

These tracks were evidently made by the sheep, of which we saw a few
here and there, but no shepherd, no houses, nothing to break the utter
solitude of the scene, and as we paused for a rest about half-way up
Uncle Dick looked round at the glorious prospect, bathed in the warm
glow of the setting sun.

"Ah!" he said, "this is beautiful nature. Over yonder, at Arrowfield,
we shall have nature to deal with that is not beautiful. But come,
boys, I want a big meat tea, and we've miles to go yet before we can get
it."

We all jumped up and tramped on, with a curious sensation coming into my
legs, as if the joints wanted oiling. But I said nothing, only trudged
away, on and on, till at last we reached the rounded top, hot, out of
breath, and glad to inhale the fresh breeze that was blowing.

The view was splendid, but the sun had set, and there were clouds
beginning to gather, while, on looking round, though we could see a
house here and a house there in the distance, it did not seem very clear
to either of us which way we were to go.

"We are clever ones," said Uncle Dick, "starting out on a trip like this
without a pocket guide and a map: never mind, our way must be west, and
sooner or later we shall come to a road, and then to a village."

"But we shall never be able to reach a railway-station to-night," said
Uncle Bob.

"Not unless we try," said Uncle Jack in his dry way.

"Then let's try," said Uncle Dick, "and--well, that is strange."

As we reached the top the wind had been blowing sharply in our faces,
but this had ceased while we had been lying about admiring the prospect,
and in place a few soft moist puffs had come from quite another quarter;
and as we looked there seemed to be a cloud of white smoke starting up
out of a valley below us. As we watched it we suddenly became aware of
another rolling along the short rough turf and over the s