"Let's see" (he turned to Slim), "two nights more, isn't it? All right then (to me), in two nights more you'll see." Just then a moth which flew in caused a welcome diversion--for I could see that somehow I had touched on a sore subject, and that he was feeling awkward--and he first jumped at it and then ran after it. Slim lingered. I raised my eyebrows and pointed at Wag. Slim nodded. "The fact is," he said in a low voice, "he got us into rather a row yesterday and we're all stopped flying for three nights." "Oh," said I. "I _see_: you must tell him I am very sorry for being so stupid. May I ask who stopped you?" "Oh, just the old man, not the owls." "You do go to the owls for something, then?" I asked, trying to appear intelligent. "Yes, history and geography." "To be sure," I said; "of course they've seen a lot, haven't they?" "So they say," said Slim, "but----" Just then the low toll of the bell was wafted through the window and there was an instant scurry to the edge of the table, then to the seat of the chair, and up to the window-sill; small arms waved caps at me, the shrubs rustled, and I was left alone. V DANGER TO THE JARS Now my ears and eyes and tongue had been dealt with, and what remained were the forehead and the chest. I could not guess what would come of treating these with the ointment, but I thought I would try the forehead first. There was still a day or two when the moon would be bright enough for the trial. I hoped that perhaps the effect of these two last jars might be to make me able to go on with my experiences--to keep in touch with the new people I had come across--during the time when she--the moon, I mean--was out of sight. I had one anxiety. The precious box must be guarded from those who were after it. About this I had a conviction, that if I could keep them off until I had used each of the five jars, the box and I would be safe. Why I felt sure of this I could not say, but my experience had led me to trust these beliefs that came into my head, and I meant to trust this one. It would be best, I thought, if I did not go far from the house--perhaps even if I did not leave it at all till the time of danger was past.