When he turned from it, he said to himself, "This is the first step homewards to her; this is the first step of my renewed labour." To fulfil his love and his ambition was one and the same thing.

He must see her, and then again endeavour with all his abilities to make himself a position which she could share.
Towards the evening, leaving his escort, he partly ascended the nearest slope of the hills to ascertain more perfectly than was possible at a lower level the direction in which the shore trended.

It was nearly east and west, and as the shore of the inland lake ran west, it appeared that between them there was a broad belt of forest.

Through this he must pass, and he thought if he continued due west he should cross an imaginary line drawn south from his own home through Thyma Castle; then by turning to the north he should presently reach that settlement.

But when he should cross this line, how many days' travelling it would need to reach it, was a matter of conjecture, and he must be guided by circumstances, the appearance of the country, and his hunter's instinct.
On the way back to Wolfstead Felix was occupied in considering how he could leave his friends, and yet be able to return to them and resume his position.