156 THE CHANNEL AT NIGHT. 



light. Each drop or each vesicle would intercept and ab- 

 sorb a part, and, in encountering the immense number that 

 would be contained in a space of twenty miles, the whole 

 would be expended." 



Lawrence then said that he had a plan to propose about 

 John's studies for the next day. 



"To-morrow will be rather a hard day for you," he said, 

 " in respect to your three hours' study. You will be up 

 late to-night, and so will not be much inclined to rise early 

 in the morning. Then we are going to Paris to-morrow, 

 and the journey by rail will take up a large part of the 

 day. Finally, the excitement of arriving in Paris, and get- 

 ting established in a new and strange hotel, will make it 

 hard for you to sit down to study then." 



" But I mean to do it, nevertheless," said John. 



" You can give it up for to-morrow, you know", if you 

 please," continued Lawrence; "there is no penalty only 

 you lose a little credit." 



"That is just what I don't wish to do," said John. 



" Or you can take it for one of your days of failure," 

 added Lawrence. " You are entitled to one day in each 

 fortnight." 



"No," said John; "I am not going to have any days 

 of failure, if I can possibly help it. I have not had any 

 yet." 



" Then I'll tell you what I propose," said Lawrence. " I 

 will give you a lecture on the philosophy of bright lights 

 now, while we are making the passage ; then you can 

 write an abstract or recapitulation of it when we get on 

 shore. Time passes quicker when we are writing than in 

 any other kind of study. My giving you a lecture of half 

 an hour will finish your study for to-day ; then, if you 

 choose, after we reach Boulogne, you can begin to write 

 your recapitulation and do half an hour of to-morrow's 



