"That is the church of Mantes, and we shall soon be in the town," replied Mr. Carter. "It is said that this church was built by William the Conqueror to replace one that was destroyed while he was besieging the town, and it was at this same siege that he was mortally wounded."
After lunch and a walk around the town, they started for home over a fine broad road shaded with trees.
"This is a 'National Road,'" said Jean. "Papa told me about these great highways laid out all over France by the great Napoleon, so that soldiers could be moved easily from one part of the country to another."
"Oh, look! What is that big gray thing in the sky just above that clump of trees? It looks like a fish," suddenly cried Marie, as they were passing a small village lying just off the highroad.
"Why, bless me if it is not an air-ship!" ejaculated Mr. Carter. "I remember now that the big sugar manufacturer lives near here, who is so much interested in flying-machines, and every now and again he sends one up to find out how his experiments are getting on. Well, children, that is a sight for you that I did not anticipate. Who knows, however, but what you will live yet to see a flying-machine express going between Rouen and Paris, stopping at Les Andelys to take up passengers."
This was sufficient to give the party something to talk about until they reached Vernon, where they stopped at a pretty riverside café to have a sirop de groseille, and, as Mr. Carter jokingly said, to rest the horses.
It was still early when they again came in sight of Château Gaillard, and so ended a blissful day for our young people, who had something to talk about for many a long winter evening.
THE END.