94 LUCY AMONG THE MOUNTAINS.

“T should think it would happen every time
Venus comes round,” said Robert.

“So should J,” said Lucy.

* No,” said her mother.

“ Because, you see,” said Lucy, “that she
must go by the sun every time.”

“Yes,” said her mother; “that is true. But
then sometimes she goes above the sun, and some-
times below it. It is very seldom that she goes
across, exactly opposite to him; and it is only
then that there is a transit.”

“I don’t understand,” said Robert, “how you
can see that little black spot on the sun, when it
does go across. I should think the light of the
rest of the sun would dazzle your eyes.”

“ Hark ! what’s that?” said Lucy.

Lucy listened, as if she heard a sound at a
distance.

« 'That’s the horn,” said Eben.

“ Yes,” said Robert, “the horn for dinner.
We must go home. But first I'll go and put my
fire together a little.”

The fire had by this time nearly gone down.
It had burned out the whole middle of the pile,
leaving a circle of brands, ends of sticks, and
tops of bushes, all around. Robert pushed
them in to the centre, where they lay upon the