"It took me a long while to place myself geographically. But
finally, by map and compass, I concluded that I was in some one of
the innumerable narrow valleys on the northern side of Mount
Terrible. Basle seemed to be the nearest proper objective, judging
from my map.... Can you form a mental picture of that particular
corner of Europe, Miss Erith?"

"No."

"Well, the German frontier did not seem to be very far northward--at
least that was my idea. But there was no telling; the place where I
landed was a savage and shaggy wilderness of firs and rocks without
any sign of habitation or of roads.

"The things that had been strapped on my back naturally remained
with me--map, binoculars, compass, botanising paraphernalia, rations
for two days--that sort of thing. So I was not worried. I prowled
about, experienced agreeable shivers by looking up at the mountain
which had dumped me down into this valley, and finally, after
eating, I started northeast by compass.

"It was a rough scramble. After I had been hiking along for several
hours I realised that I was on a shelf high above another valley,
and after a long while I came out where I could look down over miles
of country. My map indicated that what I beheld must be some part of
Alsace. Well, I lay flat on a vast shelf of rock and began to use my
field-glasses."

He was silent so long that Miss Erith finally looked up