The Happy Adventurers

ts or The F

w old is Time?

questions about him, but dared not venture even on the simplest. It was so easy to forget and ask too much. The day was rather hot, and the couch had been drawn into the shade of a grea

ing for a scholarship,"

inging her gaze down fr

busy as usual

Mary echoed. "What do yo

ince days began-morning a

one could say exactly how many, and in any case when we speak of Time we

ble it says that the evening and the morning were the first day in the year

. It is only about seventy years since geologists began to suspect that our earth was far older than they had supposed, I have some simple books which I think you could understand if you tried; and i

ted to herself rather dreamily. "If you took forty from millions and millions it wouldn't make any difference worth mentioning. It makes even Adam seem almost as near

the wise thrush," she said; "hi

"Did that thrush's ever-so-great-gr

ad thought that the children of those days must be frightfully dull, and terribly strictly kept; but on the whole they were, in some ways, less dull-or more exciting-and certainly had more liberty, than the children of to-day. Perhaps, however, that was Au

o see some diamonds; and rubies and emeralds and topazes and opals and pe

the family diamonds are nothing to go to law about. The only diamond I possess," she went on, "is a green diamond in a ring that someone gave me long, long

discovered. Also, Aunt Mary was too young. Forty years ago Grizzel was eight or nine years old, which would make her nearly fifty now. Mollie paused for a moment to picture to herself a fifty-year-old Grizzel, but, failing utterly in the attempt, she continued her meditations on her aunt. Aunt Mary was certainly a considerable distance from that venerable age. Mollie wondered again why she had never married, and who had given her that ring. She sighed impatiently. She wished that she

hen the time came for Mollie to go to sleep that afternoon she c

in! my heart y

unts me like a

ntains that the

warms when I bu

ll this life

hought you'll

e here knows how

res how dear

Grandpapa should hear his own daughter singing! Why did I go and mention green diamonds to her!" She shut her eyes tight to keep the tears from falling.

*

the early sun. Painted tubs, full of scarlet and purple fuchsias, stood in a row beside the railing; coco-nut matting, rough and brown, lay in strips across the red bric

hen at work

adly on the

see my Kat

en playin' by

ee the neig

nd, their long-l

here knows how f

w dear my poor

ifted the corner of her apron t

sideways on me ould plaid shawl! You gave me a start then, for 'twa

t tears and wondering if she was speaking the tru

eep his bones from breakin'. 'Tis a temptin' o' Providence an' his mother sailin' on the salt se

ould answer Prudence appeared at the house door, dressed in

y time she hears my death-watch tick, or sees my shroud in a candle, there would be a

nd made with filmy flounces reaching to the waist; a frilled fichu, or "cross-over" as Prue called it, came over the front of the little bodice, falling slightly below the waist and tied behind with pale-yellow ribbons. A wide white hat was wreathed with primroses and green leaves. It was indeed a char

said Papa. "If we are late

erybody feminine wore light frocks, the sun was bright but not too hot, the grass was green, and the whole countryside was frothed with almond-blossom, white and pink. Birds flew briskly about, indiffer

as a friend of Papa's, and, Mamma being on her way home to England, it had not been difficult to persuade easygoing Papa to give his consent. Indeed,

welcome," he had said; "but you must wait a bit, Professor; t

getting his rainbow into a good position. The huge balloon towered up far above them, its striped smoke-coloured sid

Hugh's shoulder; he couldn't fall out unless he did it on purpose. There are dear little cubby-holes and all sorts of cute fixings. Its nam

"Suppose it suddenly burst when it w

es, but he is only going up one to

u fell one mile as if you fell five, I sh

breathe, and you have all sorts of horrid feelings. Once Mr. Ferguson fainted, and if the ma

th?" ask

e frozen, and he could

ing soon; they are goin

gh

the great balloon swayed and trembled-it looked far more dangerous than a nice substantial aeroplane, Mollie thought; and there was no control, they simp

to Prue. "If it were Dick-where are

our elbow. My word, wouldn't

aps have all the lu

ver take more than one boy. Two might begin lar

ed that it was not a really first-class joke and merely sh

TOOD AND WATCHED THE

d waved farewell, people cheered-and the Kangaroo was off. She rose swiftly and buoyantly, remaining almost perpendicular until she was caught by a

rogress was slow, and Papa remarked that they could see her just as well from the

nch before your dinner. What would you say

ed object floating in the sky. As they walked along the road it was impossible to keep their eyes and thoughts from foll

fortune in his tea-cup last night and says he is going to die when he is eighty-three-and-a-half; I can't think why she has begun to hear his death-watch tick alr

ou never went up in a

be your fate," P

f a suitable reply at th

idget says that my diamond is the Luck of the Campbells, and will always bring good l

; they had not as yet made a fortune, but on the strength of their prospects Mr. Fraser had encouraged Papa to send Mamma and Baby for a trip home, and

and some of us sleep in

in a hammock to

t home just in time for a dinner of twice-laid and Uncle Tom'

ne day you get too much and another day too little. To-morrow there will be no

ir tempers were hopelessly lost, even Prudence accusing Mollie of cheating. As if a Guide ever cheated under any circumstances whatsoever! After each girl in turn had thrown down her mallet and declared th

t gently and politely, but very firmly, he would squash the swanker. But there was no sign of the conquering hero about Hugh. He came slo

g as though a load of care sat upon them, his usually clear eyes heavy and clouded, and

last. "Did the balloon bust,

you luck after all?" Griz

" inquired Dick

away," Prudence said, laying a moth

bad to tell he'd better

s care like g

egs with his arms, and, resting his chin on h

"If you are in a scrape we are with you

brought a flicker of l

's f

world," he said. "If there is a bigg

ok his head: "Wait till you hear." He paused for a momen

I shall be hanged. Unles

med sharply, "don't mak

ow Mamma h

Thank goodness Mamma is out of the way. Perhaps it can be hushe

ery face; whatever Hugh had done, it wa

Jerry comma

from me than from some old policeman. I suppose one will be stalking up th

I aimed at it with a stone, and I wanted to see how much the stone would deflect in falling. Perhaps it's only one experiment really, but it struck me as being two at the time. You see, if Australia ever goes to war we might want to shoot from balloons, or one might drop a ball of explosives with a fuse attached or something. I thought about it when that Russian scare was on, but I never thought I'd get the chance to try. So I got a good, smooth, round stone, nine-

d again an

" said

r time chucking sandbags about. I asked him how about a stone weighing half a pound, and he said it would fall half a mile in twelve and a half seconds, and if it hit anyone on the head that person would be as

said th

re round; and I knew it must

at that speed it would bury itself ever

from the tree, which was a good hit considering. I could soon learn to aim well-that is, if

Hugh remained silent till it was

e whispere

say a dead body. If the body got up and walked away it couldn't have

opping. There were some stones in a little pile, but my stone wasn't among them. I looked at those stones-by George, I

n out all right; you h

said con

ning again. "I tied the diamond up wit

rbed by this disaster than by the hypothet

d brings luck. It has had one miracle, and I expect it will have another

rson was not hit and steals the diamond he'll take good care not to show himself. Then the diamond will be gone, but I'll give Grizzel mine. I'll spend my bank money on getting a ring made. Oh-if I only kne

a thoughtful frown. "How do you know that the hole you saw

ound was freshly thrown up; and some o

rave. This did so

a hole and hit a person so that the person was killed at the

blood," he added despondently, "pints of it. I never thought anything could bleed so much. Well-I shall k

some tea," said Prudence, "then you will

op some photographs of the ballooners which he had taken on the previous day. "I promised Mr. Ferguson to hav

room was a roomy lean-to shed, built by himself and well equipped

t all see at once, and it is too much of a crowd. I

hin sight of the garden gate, and discusse

ven a man who had lost several pints of blood could walk very far. And if he had been carried off, there would have been a fuss, and the ballooners would have been tackled at once-in fact, I

miles an hour, according to the wind

y hat! Fancy crawling t

tween the cypress trees, striking across the grass when he saw the children. He was not a policeman, having inde

zzel Campbell live in

l answered, turni

at the small figure before him, with its tumbled red curls. "I

mond in a ring, if that is what

mond ring?" the young man asked, forgetting to frown and lett

re been a miracle?" Grizzel cried

ure enough," he answered rather grimly. "I suppose t

ever he did he's jolly cut up about it, and if it was anything very bad I'd like to-to prepare him a bit, y

ejaculated, with a puzz

l the stones were red. He thinks that the p

gin at the beginning and tell you what happened. I was sitting in Macgregor's Burnt Oak field, working at-well, a little experiment I am interested in, when I saw the balloon had come right over. Of course I had been watching it, but for a bit I was absorbed in my experimen

r his face. "I know a chap who had a parting cut in his hair with a bullet; that's

ek. But what I want to know is why Hugh Campbell throws diamond rings about the country. If the stone hadn't plopped into the middle

ky now. But how did you know where to look for Hugh?" she added rather anxiously. Mr. Ferguson w

did me a good turn. So I knew where to look for the ow

mush if it wasn't b

or the present, and I trust you not to mention it. But no one has t

go and tell him that he isn't a murderer? He is expecting to be hanged every minute, and

r mission. She knocked

at the keyhole-I ha

er disposal. She did not

blood, only his experiment, and he's got my ring. He is a nice man, and he is f

int was that someone was saved. A few minutes later the dark-room party emerged, Hugh very pale and shaky as he went to meet his supposed victim. Indeed, for a moment he was incapable of speech, and Jerry, who knew only too well wh

ds with the young man, whose name they now lea

to learn lessons now and then-I've learnt some myself-at

. Ferguson's is the best portrait I have done yet." Hugh recov

n the diamond to its owner." He drew the ring out of an inner pocket and held it out to Grizzel. As the diamond met the golden glow of the fading day its green rays gleamed and sparkled. "On

neckband of her overall and showing a slender chain of fi

, "but mine is not set yet; perhaps I'll have it made into a ring s

n, my heart you

rt-but it was only Bridge

ead and listened. "Who co

se when Baby is here a

he's feeling homesick

long time since I've seen the bay o' D

lover? No-he was too old. He must be twenty-two at least. But she fe

new friend pulled a round white stone out of one of his many pock

's hand. It was little the worse of its adventure-slightly chipped and scratched, and on one side an ominous red s

date on it, and if it doesn't remind me to think t

"only remember that the red stai

hand and looking gravely down at it, "but I won't f

ring this transaction. "Is that what it means in books wh

w start for me. It ought to have your name on as well as mine," he added, looki

as if it were my tombstone; you are all s

t Hugh's eyes remained thoughtful as he watched

engine which he had been putting through its paces. Mollie, Dick, and Jerry sat on the veranda steps, the boys printing photographs, while Mollie idly played with the trailing garlands of morning-glory and traveller's joy which hung around her. Between the blossoming almond trees she could see golden splashes of wattle in the field beyond. At her feet a mass of big Russian violets boldly lifted their heads above their leaves, and an acacia, which overshadowed the veranda, was dropping milky petals on the path.

almond blossom looks in the sunshine. We've got an almond

te outline of almond branches against the sky. "They are nicest when they are green, but I must say they do give you

h green almonds to the tune of 'Good-bye fo

green-almond trees he writes to Papa. He says it is for our good, old telltale. Once, though, he took us into his library and showed us some beautiful fossils. He said they were as old

said Dic

e good when one had nice things to do and plenty of time and room to do them in. "Where is Miss Hilton?" she aske

was poisoned. We couldn't bear to have another dog. Papa doesn't like exams. He likes us to be out all the time and not to st

Aunt Mary had quoted that morning! There

are quite otherwise. He believes in any amount of stooping over books, though I am always pointing o

egretfully. "I know we shall hate it, but I suppose we must learn grammar

one had a sort of film-picture running off all the time, and some day, before those million years had passed, a way would be found to develop them. It would not be much more wonderful than wireless and flying and all those things that looked impossible to people in this Time. Mollie began to think of London, and of home in North Ken

he had flown yesterday. "But it doesn't go far enough. It will never be much use until we learn to steer. You have to go whichever way the wind chooses, which may be exactl

said Prudence, "l

ill never work. Our internal machinery isn't made like birds'." As he spoke a parrot flew overhead, its brilliant wings flashing in the sunlight and then becoming appa

y not make the whole thing, body and all." He frowned hard as he concentrat

. It was rather like a game of hide-and-seek. Hugh was getting warm-how near would he get? They tried to catch the disjointed words that fell from his

y, there arose a vividly distinct image of an aeroplane, darkly

ould almost hear the blossoms dropping on the grass; there was a faint stir of leaves as a stray breeze c

t came! It winged its way like a mighty bird, singing its strange rough song. Prue dropped her work and stood up, Grizze

he cried. "What is

t overhead, then, with a lovely curve, it skimmed away, the great wi

n't go-oh, don't go!" he cr

t had

oked at each other agai

u

spered Jerry, "it wa

fell on Hugh's pale face, on Grizzel's ruddy

," she exclaimed. "It is good-bye! No,

*

yet! It is too soon! I haven't s

y Mollie, it's 'how d'y

dreaming too

d her eyes in bewilderm

Mother, standing

daughterling was getting along, and partly to ask Grannie and Aunt Mary if they would like two more troublesome,

really! How perfe

if the boys could be quarantined away from home. Aunt Mary says she would like to have them, strange woma

re all frauds," she said. "Don't talk to me of your young days. I guess th

I must be off again. I stole Father's car, as he has gone down to Bo

n time for the boys,"