the cottages was an inn, and having found one asked a man who seemed to
belong there to let us have a conveyance with as much speed as possible.

'Where have you come from?' he inquired, staring first at one and then
at the other.

'Oh--from Garz.'

'From Garz? Where do you want to go to?'

'To Putbus.'

'To Putbus? Are you staying there?'

'No--yes--anyhow we wish to drive there. Kindly let us start as soon as
possible.'

'Start! I have no cart.'

'Sir,' said Gertrud with much dignity, 'why did you not say so at once?'

'_Ja, ja, Fraeulein_, why did I not?'

We walked out.

'This is very unpleasant, Gertrud,' I remarked, and I wondered what
those at home would say if they knew that on the very first day of my
driving-tour I had managed to lose the carriage and had had to bear the
banter of publicans.

'There is a little shop,' said Gertrud. 'Does the gracious one permit
that I make inquiries there?'

We went in and Gertrud did the talking.

'Putbus is not very far from here,' said the old man presiding, who was
at least polite. 'Why do not the ladies walk? My horse has been out all
day, and my son who drives him has other things now to do.'

'Oh we can't walk,' I broke in. 'We must drive because we might want to
go beyond Putbus--we are not sure--it depends----'

The old man looked puzzled. 'Where is it that the ladies wish to go?' he
inquired, trying to be patient.

'To Putbus, anyhow. Perhaps only to Putbus. We can't tell till we get
there. But indeed, indeed you must let us have your horse.'

Still puzzled, the old man went out to consult with his son, and we
waited in profound dejection among candles and coffee. Putbus was not,
as he had said, far, but I remembered how on the map it seemed to be a
very nest of cross-roads, all radiating from a round circus sort of
place in the middle. Which of them would August consider to be the
straight continuation of the road from Garz? Once beyond Putbus he would
be lost to us indeed.

It took about half an hour to persuade the son and to harness the horse;
and while this was going on we stood at the door watching the road and
listening eagerly for sounds of wheels. One cart did pass, going in the
direction of Garz, and when I heard it coming I was so sure that it was
August that I triumphantly called to Gertrud to run and tell the old man
we did not need his son. Gertrud, wiser, waited till she saw what it
was, and after the quenching of that sudden h