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wrong。 I led them by the middle road。 That the middle road had
not character enough to continue for any quarter of a mile in the
same direction； that after three miles up and down hill it ended
abruptly in a wasps' nest； was not a thing that should have been
laid to my door。 If the middle road had gone in the direction it
ought to have done； it would have taken us to where we wanted to
go； of that I am convinced。
Even as it was； I would have continued to use this gift of mine to
discover a fresh way had a proper spirit been displayed towards me。
But I am not an angelI admit this frankly；and I decline to
exert myself for the ungrateful and the ribald。 Besides； I doubt
if George and Harris would have followed me further in any event。
Therefore it was that I washed my hands of the whole affair； and
that Harris entered upon the vacancy。
〃Well；〃 said Harris。 〃I suppose you are satisfied with what you
have done？〃
〃I am quite satisfied；〃 I replied from the heap of stones where I
was sitting。 〃So far； I have brought you with safety。 I would
continue to lead you further； but no artist can work without
encouragement。 You appear dissatisfied with me because you do not
know where you are。 For all you know； you may be just where you
want to be。 But I say nothing as to that； I expect no thanks。 Go
your own way； I have done with you both。〃
I spoke； perhaps； with bitterness； but I could not help it。 Not a
word of kindness had I had all the weary way。
〃Do not misunderstand us；〃 said Harris； 〃both George and myself
feel that without your assistance we should never be where we now
are。 For that we give you every credit。 But instinct is liable to
error。 What I propose to do is to substitute for it Science； which
is exact。 Now； where's the sun？〃
〃Don't you think；〃 said George； 〃that if we made our way back to
the village； and hired a boy for a mark to guide us； it would save
time in the end？〃
〃It would be wasting hours；〃 said Harris； with decision。 〃You
leave this to me。 I have been reading about this thing； and it has
interested me。〃 He took out his watch； and began turning himself
round and round。
〃It's as simple as A B C；〃 he continued。 〃You point the short hand
at the sun； then you bisect the segment between the short hand and
the twelve； and thus you get the north。〃
He worried up and down for a while； then he fixed it。
〃Now I've got it；〃 he said； 〃that's the north； where that wasps'
nest is。 Now give me the map。〃
We handed it to him； and seating himself facing the wasps； he
examined it。
〃Todtmoos from here；〃 he said； 〃is south by south…west。〃
〃How do you mean； from here？〃 asked George。
〃Why； from here； where we are；〃 returned Harris。
〃But where are we？〃 said George。
This worried Harris for a time； but at length he cheered up。
〃It doesn't matter where we are；〃 he said。 〃Wherever we are；
Todtmoos is south by south…west。 Come on； we are only wasting
time。〃
〃I don't quite see how you make it out；〃 said George； as he rose
and shouldered his knapsack； 〃but I suppose it doesn't matter。 We
are out for our health； and it's all pretty！〃
〃We shall be all right；〃 said Harris； with cheery confidence。 〃We
shall be in at Todtmoos before ten； don't you worry。 And at
Todtmoos we will have something to eat。〃
He said that he； himself； fancied a beefsteak； followed by an
omelette。 George said that； personally； he intended to keep his
mind off the subject until he saw Todtmoos。
We walked for half an hour； then emerging upon an opening； we saw
below us； about two miles away； the village through which we had
passed that morning。 It had a quaint church with an outside
staircase； a somewhat unusual arrangement。
The sight of it made me sad。 We had been walking hard for three
hours and a half； and had accomplished； apparently； about four
miles。 But Harris was delighted。
〃Now； at last；〃 said Harris； 〃we know where we are。〃
〃I thought you said it didn't matter；〃 George reminded him。
〃No more it does； practically；〃 replied Harris； 〃but it is just as
well to be certain。 Now I feel more confidence in myself。〃
〃I'm not so sure about that being an advantage；〃 muttered George。
But I do not think Harris heard him。
〃We are now；〃 continued Harris； 〃east of the sun； and Todtmoos is
south…west of where we are。 So that if〃
He broke off。 〃By…the…by；〃 he said； 〃do you remember whether I
said the bisecting line of that segment pointed to the north or to
the south？〃
〃You said it pointed to the north；〃 replied George。
〃Are you positive？〃 persisted Harris。
〃Positive；〃 answered George 〃but don't let that influence your
calculations。 In all probability you were wrong。〃
Harris thought for a while； then his brow cleared。
〃That's all right；〃 he said； 〃of course； it's the north。 It must
be the north。 How could it be the south？ Now we must make for the
west。 Come on。〃
〃I am quite willing to make for the west；〃 said George； 〃any point
of the compass is the same to me。 I only wish to remark that； at
the present moment； we are going dead east。〃
〃No we are not；〃 returned Harris； 〃we are going west。〃
〃We are going east； I tell you；〃 said George。
〃I wish you wouldn't keep saying that；〃 said Harris； 〃you confuse
me。〃
〃I don't mind if I do；〃 returned George； 〃I would rather do that
than go wrong。 I tell you we are going dead east。〃
〃What nonsense！〃 retorted Harris； 〃there's the sun。〃
〃I can see the sun；〃 answered George； 〃quite distinctly。 It may be
where it ought to be； according to you and Science； or it may not。
All I know is； that when we were down in the village； that
particular hill with that particular lump of rock upon it was due
north of us。 At the present moment we are facing due east。〃
〃You are quite right；〃 said Harris； 〃I forgot for the moment that
we had turned round。〃
〃I should get into the habit of making a note of it； if I were
you；〃 grumbled George； 〃it's a manoeuvre that will probably occur
again more than once。〃
We faced about； and walked in the other direction。 At the end of
forty minutes' climbing we again emerged upon an opening； and again
the village lay just under our feet。 On this occasion it was south
of us。
〃This is very extraordinary；〃 said Harris。
〃I see nothing remarkable about it；〃 said George。 〃If you walk
steadily round a village it is only natural that now and then you
get a glimpse of it。 Myself； I am glad to see it。 It proves to me
that we are not utterly lost。〃
〃It ought to be the other side of us；〃 said Harris。
〃It will be in another hour or so；〃 said George； 〃if we keep on。〃
I said little myself； I was vexed with both of them； but I was glad
to notice George evidently growing cross with Harris。 It was
absurd of Harris to fancy he could find the way by the sun。
〃I wish I knew；〃 said Harris； thoughtfully； 〃for certain whether
that bisecting line points to the north or to the south。〃
〃I should make up my mind about it；〃 said George； 〃it's an
important point。〃
〃It's impossible it can be the north；〃 said Harris； 〃and I'll tell
you why。〃
〃You needn't trouble；〃 said George； 〃I am quite prepared to believe
it isn't。〃
〃You said just now it was；〃 said Harris； reproachfully。
〃I said nothing of the sort；〃 retorted George。 〃I said you said it
wasa very different thing。 If you think it isn't； let's go the
other way。 It'll be a change； at all events。〃
So Harris worked things out according to the contrary calculation；
and again we plunged into the wood； and again after half an hour's
stiff climbing we came in view of that same village。 True； we were
a little higher； and this time it lay between us and the sun。
〃I think；〃 said George； as he stood looking down at it； 〃this is
the best view we've had of it； as yet。 There is only one other
point from which we can see it。 After that； I propose we go down
into it and get some rest。〃
〃I don't believe it's the same village；〃 said Harris； 〃it can't
be。〃
〃There's no mistaking that church；〃 said George。 〃But maybe it is
a case on all fours with that Prague statue。 Possibly； the
authorities hereabout have had made some life…sized models