THE CHANNEL LIGHTS. 171 



two or three stations between. During this interval the 

 train stopped at Amiens for the passengers to take dinner. 

 John had worked for an hour at the hotel at Boulogne be- 

 fore going to the station, and he intended to spend an hour 

 in Avriting an abstract of Lawrence's lecture when he should 

 arrive in Paris ; this would make his three hours' study 

 for that day. 



" If I had known all this about the different kinds of 

 light for light-houses before," said John, after the lecture 

 Avas concluded, "I should have changed my plan about 

 going to Paris to-day." 



" What should you have done ?" asked Lawrence. 



"Instead of going to Paris, I should have gone down the 

 coast of France, bordering on the Channel, to see the light- 

 houses. We are in the best place to see light-houses in 

 the whole .world." 



" Yes," said Lawrence ; " the English Channel is admira- 

 bly well lighted, on both the French and English sides." 



" There are light-houses on every point of land and at 

 the entrance of every little harbor," said John; "I saw a 

 map of them. I suppose there must be a great many dif- 

 ferent kinds that we might have seen if I had only thought 

 of it." 



"It would not have done any good for you to have 

 thought of it," said Lawrence, " for you have no authority 

 to decide that we would go to see them." 



"Why not?" asked John, "I'm commander of this ex- 

 pedition." 



"Yes," rejoined Lawrence, " but with limited powers; 

 you ai - e in command for the purpose of conducting the 

 party to Paris. You have a right to decide upon any 

 course and any mode of traveling which you honestly think 

 best adapted to take us to Paris in an agreeable and com- 

 fortable manner, but you have no authority to deviate en- 



