d Vitalis; "look, now you can see
the group of trees."

I told him that I thought I could see the trees.

"In five minutes we shall be there," he murmured.

We trudged along, but the five minutes seemed an eternity.

"Where are the ruts?"

"They are still on the right."

"We must have passed the entrance to the race-course without seeing it.
I think we'd better go back."

Once more we turned back.

"Do you see the trees?"

"Yes, there on the left."

"And the ruts?"

"There are not any."

"Am I blind?" asked Vitalis in a low voice, as he passed his hands
across his eyes; "walk straight along by the trees, and give me your
hand."

"Here is a wall."

"No, it's a heap of stones."

"No, I am sure it's a wall."

Vitalis took a step aside to see if it really was as I said. He
stretched out his two hands and touched the wall.

"Yes, it's a wall," he murmured. "Where is the entrance. Look for the
track."

I stooped down to the ground and felt all along to the end of the wall,
but I found no entrance; then, turning back to where Vitalis stood, I
continued to feel along the wall on the other side. The result was the
same; there was no opening, no gate.

"There is nothing," I said.

The situation was terrible. Without doubt my master was delirious.
Perhaps there was no race-course here at all! Vitalis stood for a moment
as though in a dream. Capi began to bark impatiently.

"Shall we look further?" I asked.

"No, the race-course is walled up."

"Walled up?"

"Yes, they have closed the opening, and it is impossible for us to get
inside."

"Well, then?"

"What to do, eh? I don't know. Die here."

"Oh, Master! Master!"

"Yes, you don't want to die, you are so young. Life seems good to you.
Let us walk on. Can you still walk a bit further, my child."

"Oh, but you?"

"When I can go no farther, I shall fall down like an old horse."

"Where shall we go?"

"Return to Paris. When we meet a policeman we will let him take us to
the police station. I did not want that, but I cannot let you die of
cold, boy. Come, little Remi, come. On, my children. Courage!"

We turned back the same way that we had come. What time was it? I had no
idea. We had walked for hours, a long, long time, and so slowly. Perhaps
it was midnight or one o'clock. The sky was still a somber blue, without
moon, and with but few stars, and the few that had appeared seemed to me
to be smaller than usual. The wind had increased;