Slowly and absorbedly the two went on exploring the pages of the book; stopping to read, stopping to talk and discuss the questions of tumuli and stone circles, dolmens and menhirs. The opinion of the author, that the great circles commemorated great battles, and were raised in honour of the dead buried within them, and that many dolmens had a sepulchral character, was somewhat confusing to the Druidical and tragical impressions left from the Saxon chronicle; which, however, at last got an undeniable support. In the stones of Stennis, over which Maggie and Meredith pondered with intense interest, one of the enormous up-standing masses has a hole through it. And this stone, there is no doubt, was dedicated to Woden. And so long had the superstition of Woden's worship clung to it, that until very lately an oath sworn by persons joining their hands through this hole, was reckoned especially sacred; even the courts of law so recognising it. After that, Woden seemed to Maggie to have strong claim to all the upright stones and altar-looking dolmens that are found where the worship of Woden has once prevailed. Leaving Stennis they went on to Runic crosses, German dolmens, and French dolmens, and on and on, from country to country. When at last they lifted up their heads and looked around them, they were alone. The girls had gone off to bed; the worsted work lay, left on the table; the fire was out; the minute-hand pointed to ten o'clock. Meredith and Maggie glanced at each other and smiled. "We have forgotten ourselves," said he. "You see, Ditto," said Maggie, "we've been travelling. Oh, I wish I could _see_ the Stones of Stennis, don't you? and the Stone of Woden?" "Well, now, you had better travel to bed, little one, and forget it all. Don't see it in your dreams." CHAPTER VI. One expects steady weather in October; so it was really not extraordinary that the next morning should break fair and quiet, with a sunny haze lying over the river. Nevertheless, Maggie rejoiced. "What a pleasant day we had yesterday!" she exclaimed, as the party sat at breakfast. "Are not all your days pleasant?" said Meredith. "Yes, but yesterday was uncommon. O Ditto! we didn't look at the map last night!" "We were looking at stones." "Yes, but we must look at the map after breakfast. I want to find all those places." "Take time," said Meredith, "and eat your breakfast. Lüneburg heath will not run away." But, after breakfast, indeed, the great atlas was fetched out to the sunny terrace in front of the house and laid on a settee, and Maggie and Meredith sat down before the map of Germany with business faces. "Now, here is the Elbe," said Maggie, "it is big enough to be seen; here is the mouth of it, just in a corner under Denmark, where those ships went from." "What ships?" "Why, the ships in which the Saxons went over to England--the Saxons that conquered England, Meredith." "You do remember," said Meredith smiling. "It is worth while reading to you."