years I've been carrying travellers to the station, and I've never yet
missed a train! Think of that, sir; never!"

"But--"

"Oh, don't look at your watch. There is one thing you don't know and
that you must learn, and that your watch will never be able to tell
you--that is, that the train is always a quarter of an hour late. Such a
thing as the train's being on time has never happened."

Such a thing happened that day, however, for the train was on time, and
so I missed it. My driver was furious.

"You should warn us," he said to the station-master, "if your trains are
suddenly going to start at the right hour. Who ever saw the like!"

And he turned to one or two of the porters for witnesses.

"Did you ever see such a thing? I don't wish to appear blamable before
the gentleman. A train on time--on time! You know it's the first time
it has ever happened."

There was a general cry of "Yes, indeed; usually there's some delay."
But, for all that, I had none the less three long hours to pass in a
very desolate village (in the Canton of Vaud) shut in by two sad-looking
mountains, which had their little topknots covered with snow.

But how kill three hours? In my turn I now asked advice, and again there
was a chorus of "Go see the Caldron; that's the only sight to be seen in
this part of the country." "And where is this Caldron?" On the mountain,