Niels took his gun with him . ` What do you want with that ? ' said Rasmus ; ` we have plenty to carry without it . ' But Niels could not be happy without his gun , and took it all the same . It was in the hottest part of summer that they began their journey , so hot that they could not travel at all in the middle of the day , and they were afraid to do it by night lest they might lose their way or fall into the hands of robbers . One day , a little before sunset , they came to an inn which lay at the edge of a forest . ` We had better stay here for the night , ' said Rasmus . ` What an idea ! ' said Niels , who was growing impatient at the slow progress they were making . ` We ca n't travel by day for the heat , and we remain where we are all night . It will be long enough before we get to Rome if we go on at this rate . ' Rasmus was unwilling to go on , but the two old people sided with Niels , who said , ` The nights are n't dark , and the moon will soon be up . We can ask at the inn here , and find out which way we ought to take . ' So they held on for some time , but at last they came to a small opening in the forest , and here they found that the road split in two . There was no sign-post to direct them , and the people in the inn had not told them which of the two roads to take . ` What 's to be done now ? ' said Rasmus . ' I think we had better have stayed at the inn . ' ` There 's no harm done , ' said Niels . ` The night is warm , and we can wait here till morning .
One XXXXX us will keep watch till midnight , and then waken the other . '
So at before for in of till to with without