gions, and before we had walked for quarter of an hour
it became a question of seeking shelter or living for the rest of the day
in soaked clothes. We decided on the former alternative, and selected a
tree that, under ordinary circumstances, should have been ample
protection. But a Black Forest thunderstorm is not an ordinary
circumstance. We consoled ourselves at first by telling each other that
at such a rate it could not last long. Next, we endeavoured to comfort
ourselves with the reflection that if it did we should soon be too wet to
fear getting wetter.

"As it turned out," said Harris, "I should have been almost glad if there
had been a restaurant up here."

"I see no advantage in being both wet _and_ hungry," said George. "I
shall give it another five minutes, then I am going on."

"These mountain solitudes," I remarked, "are very attractive in fine
weather. On a rainy day, especially if you happen to be past the age
when--"

At this point there hailed us a voice, proceeding from a stout gentleman,
who stood some fifty feet away from us under a big umbrella.

"Won't you come inside?" asked the stout gentleman.

"Inside where?" I called back. I thought at first he was one of those
fools that will try to be funny when there is nothing to be funny about.

"Inside the restaurant," he answered.

We left our shelter and made for him. We wished for further information
about this thing.

"I did call to you from the window," said the stout gentleman, as we drew
near to him, "but I suppose you did not hear me. This storm may last for
another hour; you will get _so_ wet."

He was a kindly old gentleman; he seemed quite anxious about us.

I said: "It is very kind of you to have come out. We are not lunatics.
We have not been standing under that tree for the last half-hour knowing
all the time there was a restaurant, hidden by the trees, within twenty
yards of us. We had no idea we were anywhere near a restaurant."

"I thought maybe you hadn't," said the old gentleman; "that is why I
came."

It appeared that all the people in the inn had been watching us from the
windows also, wondering why we stood there looking miserable. If it had
not been for this nice old gentleman the fools would have remained
watching us, I suppose, for the rest of the afternoon. The landlord
excused himself by saying he thought we looked like English. It is no
figure of speech. On the Continent they do sincerely believe