“Suppose, then,” said Miss Villers, “that we walk towards Forest Lane, and meet them on their return. This arrangement,” she added, “will afford me an opportunity of communicating to you the history of some adventures I encountered last evening, and of taking your opinion upon them.” “You well know,” answered Mr. Seymour, “that you may always command my services--but you have really raised my curiosity: what can be the nature of the adventures you speak of?” Miss Villers then entered into a particular account of all she saw and heard the preceding evening; with which the reader is already acquainted. Mr. Seymour, however, suggested the propriety of abstaining from any discussion upon the subject until the children were present to hear it; for, said he, “I am most desirous that they should be familiarized with those natural sources of illusion which enlighten the wise, while they minister to the superstitious fears of the ignorant.” They had not reached the entrance of Forest Lane, before they perceived the vicar with Tom and Louisa, followed by the Major. “Papa,” cried Tom, as he ran to meet his father, “we have had a most delightful morning; amongst other things, do you know we have found out the meaning of the crescent which the Turks always wear, and use as their ensign.” “Indeed! well, then, let me hear your explanation,” said his father. Major Snapwell and the vicar had by this time joined the party, and with their assistance Tom was enabled to offer the following account of it.--The crescent appears on the early coins of Byzantium, and was intended to commemorate the defeat of Philip of Macedon, who, as he was about to storm it on a cloudy night, was discovered by the sudden light of the moon. When the Turks entered Constantinople, they found this ancient badge in various parts of the city, and suspecting that it might possess some magical power, they assumed the symbol and its power to themselves; so that the crescent became, and still continues to be, the chief Turkish ensign. “Well, I must own that you have given me a new and very curious piece of historical information, and I thank you for it,” said Mr. Seymour. “Medals, then, are occasionally of some little use,” remarked the vicar, with a sarcastic smile; for if the truth must be told, the reverend antiquary had been a little nettled as usual by the freedom with which Major Snapwell had criticised some of his rarities; but let that pass. As soon as the party reassembled after the excursion of the morning, the circumstances which so greatly astonished Miss Villers on the preceding evening, were again related by her.