What a soothing, drowsy way of travelling, to lie inside that slowly moving mountain, listening to the tinkling of the horses’ bells, the smacking of the carter’s whip, the smooth rolling of the great broad wheels, the rattle of the harness, the cheery good-nights of passing travellers, all falling lightly upon the ear! Now and again Nell would walk for a mile or two while her grandfather rode inside, and sometimes even the schoolmaster would take her place and lie down to rest. So they went on very happily until they came to a large town, where the wagon stopped, and they spent the night. When they had passed through this town they came into the open country, and after a long ride began to draw near the schoolmaster’s new home. "See—here’s the church!" cried the delighted schoolmaster in a low voice; "and that old building close beside it is the school-house, I’m sure. Five-and-thirty pounds a year in this lovely place!" They admired everything—the old gray porch, the fine old windows, the gravestones in the green churchyard, the old tower, the very weather-cock, the brown thatched roofs of cottage barns peeping from among the trees, the stream that ran by the distant water-mill, the blue mountains far away. "I must leave you somewhere for a few minutes," said the schoolmaster at length. "I have a letter to present, you know. Where shall I take you? To the little inn yonder?" "Let us wait here," said Nell. "The gate is open. We will sit in the church porch till you come back." "A good place, too," said the schoolmaster, leading the way towards it, and placing his bag on the stone seat. "Be sure that I will come back with good news, and will not be long gone." So the happy schoolmaster put on a pair of new gloves which he had carried in a little parcel in his pocket all the way, and hurried off, full of pleasant excitement. *Chapter XII.* *PEACE AFTER STORM.* After a long time the schoolmaster appeared at the wicket-gate of the churchyard, and hurried towards them, jingling in his hand, as he came along, a bundle of rusty keys. He was quite breathless with pleasure. "You see those two old houses?" he said at last. "Yes, surely," replied Nell. "I have been looking at them nearly all the time you have been away." "And you would have looked at them still more if you could have guessed what I have to tell you," said her friend. "One of those houses is mine." Without saying any more, or giving the child time to reply, the schoolmaster took her hand, and his honest face shining with pleasure, led her to the place of which he spoke. They stopped before its low, arched door. After trying several of the keys in vain, the schoolmaster found one to fit the huge lock, which turned back creaking, and they stepped within. The room which they entered was large and lofty, with a finely decorated roof. "It is a very beautiful place!" said the child in a low voice.