22 2 JHE WONDER-BOOK OF HORSES 



broken wall, not a watchman stayed at his post 

 above the gates. Worn out with the excitement 

 of the day, everybody retired early to rest. 



About midnight a man crept stealthily along 

 the dark streets, and came finally to the breach 

 that had been made in the wall. With a little lan- 

 tern and a kettle of pitch in one hand, he climbed 

 up the rough stones to the top. Once there, he 

 sat down for a moment and gazed steadily toward 

 the sea. The moon, now just rising behind him, 

 lighted up the great expanse of water, and he 

 could plainly see not only the long line of beach 

 with the waves rippling upon the sand, but the 

 dark outline of Tenedos Island lying in the 

 shadows four miles farther away. But what did 

 he see between the island and the shore ? A thou- 

 sand ships with their dark hulls just visible above 

 the water, and all propelled by twenty thousand 

 oars that glinted strangely in the moonlight as 

 they rose and fell. The Greeks, who had lain 

 hidden all day behind Tenedos, were returning 

 to the Trojan shore — in a few minutes their ves- 

 sels would be drawn up in their old places along 

 the white beach. 



The man on the wall seemed greatly pleased 

 with what he saw. Rising again to his feet, he 

 hung the kettle of pitch by a chain upon the out- 



