The Wouldbegoods: Being the Further Adventures of the Treasure Seekers

things we ever did in our lives. We did not mean to do such a deed. And ye

wald's, and the one cannot be revealed without the other. Oswald does not particularly want his story to be remembered,

s lik

s a river so near us. Afterwards father said he wished we had been allowed to remain on our pristine ignoran

nse. Also a work-case lined with pink plush, a boot-bag, which no one in their senses would use because it had flowers in wool all over it. And she had a box of chocolates and a musical box that played 'The Man who broke' and two other tunes, and two pairs of kid gloves for church, and a box of writing-paper-pink

ly state that it was prime. Though happy, the day was uneventful. The only thing exciting enough to write about was in one of the locks, wh

deously. So did Daisy, but

end-reared up out of the water, exactly like Kaa in the Jungle Book-so we know Kipling is a true author and no rot

orry for it myself. It was indeed a venomous serpent. But it was the fir

of our little brother was seen wriggling conclusively on the boat's edge. This exciting spectacle

. H. O. was wrapped in everybody's co

alths. Then we played whatever we liked. There had been rounders during the aft

was the thin edge of the wedge. It was the all-powerful lever that move

e the dogs, and to promise no bathing without grown-ups

will take the large, red catalogue of the Army and Navy Stores, and just make a list of about fifteen of the things you would like best-prices from 2s. to 25s.-yo

he had won at the fair, and two pencils (new), and a brand-new note-book. Oswald thought, and he still thinks, that this was a fair exchange, and so did Noel at the time, and he agreed to

u shook hands on it,' he said, and

ed his cricket ball back. And the

e consented to let Noel have the beastly ball,

u would be wanting the coconut a

H. O. had eaten the coconut, which only made it worse. And it

think it was fair,'

have it ba

id not know then about the coconu

s ever they can. He knew he was not unfair, and he did not like to be jawed at just because Noel had eaten the coconut and wanted

d something else to make up for the coconut,

e, I say,'

ld said,

ut just kept smiling pleasantly, and carelessly throwing up the

d by all dumb animals. (You know how sagacious they are.) Well, Martha knocked the ball out of Oswald's hands, and it fell on the grass, and Noel pounced on it like a hooded falcon on its prey. Oswald would scor

and the others picked Noel up, and consoled th

m and lay on his bed, and reflected

he cared. So he went into the linen-room and looked out of its window, and he saw they were

thout a word, for it

ing they had not before beheld. It was a squa

is a boy fertile in every subtle expedient. Then he saw he was in the wonderful, mysterious place between the ceiling and the roof of the house. The roof is beams and tiles. Slits of light show through the tiles here and there. The ceiling, on its other and top side, is made of rough plaster and beams. If you walk on the be

th cracks of light under and over. He drew back the rusty bolts and opened it. It opened straight on to the leads, a flat place between two steep red roofs, wit

in his pocket, the one about lawyers, as well as a few apples. While he read he fingered

and went hurriedly down, for apples do not

landing, got red i

ball, because H. O. and I had ea

nfairness. However, I don't know where it is just now. When I

ou're n

n to tea together. So that was all r

r Destiny. We dropped in at the 'Rose and Crown' for some ginger-beer on our way. The landlady is a friend

re hurrying about with great hams, and pairs of chickens, and rounds of co

ngling competit

, 'What

ticular day and fish one particular bit of the river. And the one that catches most fish gets the prize. They're f

'Couldn't

ot, please. I really am so I don't know wh

ke these timid but

ight off to the pen above Stoneham Lock to see the an

words of one syllable and pages and pages long. And if you have, you'll understand without my telling you. It is harder tha

he bit of river between one lock and the next. In some rive

rs-yarrow, meadow-sweet, willow herb, loosestrife, and lady's bed-straw. Oswald learned the names of all these trees and plan

grass and the different flowers I have named. Some had dogs with t

liked their lot, and what kinds of fish there were, an

ugh he spoke to them quite like to equals he did not ask the things we wanted

back politely. I am gl

t, and, as often as not, no

Lock Denny said he should go home and fetch his fishing-rod. H. O. went with him. This left four of us-Oswald, Alice, Dicky, and Noel. We went on down the towing-path. The lock shuts up (that sounds as if it was li

poor river's bo

o you

nd there an old kettle or a tin pail with no

wim. They walk on the towing-path, with a rope tied to them, and the other end to the barge. So it gets pulled along. The bargees we knew were a good friendly sort, and used to let us go all o

ut we went along down, because Oswald wanted to get some co

raight, we saw a sad and gloomy sight-a big barge sitting fla

flannel waistcoat that was spread out to dry o

his dinner, I shouldn't wonder. What a lovely surprise it would be if they came back to find their barge floating high and dry on a

the Wouldbegoods'. Then you could think of the book if you wanted to w

on't know how. And if you di

push and push till a thing goes up and the water runs through. It i

ay sulking, I know, but she remembered manners ere too late so Oswald bears her no malice. She went on: 'Yesterday, wh

what's more, I know where he keeps the other t

heir unknown benefactors. They might make a song about us, and sing it on wi

ether for generousness, but because he wanted to see how

mind going back to the lock and having a look at the crowbars. You see Oswald did

ng the elder bushes behind a fallen tree, and began to pound away at the sluice of

nd we did not drop the crowbar into the lock either, as

er underneath the white foam spread like a moving counterpane. When we had finished the lock we did the weir-which is whee

he thought of the unspeakable gratitude that the bargees would feel to us when they got back to t

because we thought it would be more truly noble and good not to wait to be thanked for our kind

tell the others, because it would

y the grateful bargees, and the tale of the Unknown Helpers is being told by

ught better of it, and they were fishing

would be rain. There was. It came on while we were at dinner-a great, strong, thunderi

ng awfulness clouded our young mirth. I remember Dic

n his face. It was a wet hand and very cold. Oswald hit ou

any matches? My bed's full of water;

ome secret passage which communicated with the top of Moat House, but when he was

ources. He struck one and lit a candle, and Dicky, for it

dripping in rich profusion at a dozen different places. There was a great wet patch in the ceiling, an

Oswald was q

t-broken tone, and remained

h are we to d

ood-curdling event, a regular facer. Albert's uncle had gone to L

eir beds, and though as yet they knew it not, there was quite a pool on Noel's bed, just in the hollow behind where his kne

cult task, but we di

ke up, or you will be drowned in your beds!

ry stupidly. H. O. was t

faster and faster

other and turned p

etter call M

ling that this was our fault somehow for meddling with the river, though of

worst and wettest place, and the jugs and basins under lesser streams, and we moved the b

e got into our other shirts and knickerbockers, but preserved bareness in our feet.

ithout pausing to complain how hard the work was. All the same, it was more exciting than you can

astating floods. Oswald is full of ingenious devices. I think I have said this before,

owel along the plank, and behold, a noble stream poured over the end of the board right into the bath we put there ready. It was like Niagara, only not so round in shape. The first lot of water that came down the chimney was very dirty. Th

e storm gre

rats were

howl of Hea

as they wer

d not take any notice; we only told him not to gas

ring down. You would not believe

grew must be awakened at all hazards, we

igrew in a nightcap and red flann

'What on earth have you children b

t down on my

ar! oh, dear!' ev

ugh the thatch. He said if the water lies all about on the top of the ceiling, it breaks it down, but if y

d tubs under, and now there was not so much water on the floor. But we had t

seven the water did not come in so fast, and pre

tener. We did not go back to bed then, but dressed and went down. We

did not find any hole, but he found the cricket ball jammed in the top of a gutter pipe which he afterwards

he lead, and of course when it got above the lead there was nothing to stop it running down under it, and soaking through the ceiling. The parapet and the roofs kept it from tumbling off down the sides of the house

ocket. And he KNEW, but he COULD not tell. He heard them wondering what the obstruction could

ve been the cause of; and Mrs Pettigrew is but harsh and hasty. But

r silent too. At last he looked upon us wi

' holiday was spoiled. No, the rain wouldn't have spoiled it anyhow, Alice; anglers LIKEe rain. The 'Rose and Crown' dinner was half of it wasted because the anglers were so furious that a lot of them took the next

us tried bread-and-butter, but it seemed dry and difficult, and those who tried tea choked and spl

ngs she and the rest o

t, and wishing with all his sentiments that he had owned up like a man when Albert's

leasure we had spoiled, and how much of my father's money we had wasted-because he would have to pay for the coals be

lice burst out crying

tried to be good since

use. I believe we are the wickedest children i

t of us were all very shocked. But Oswald could not hel

punished for it.' (We were; our pocket-money was stopped and we were forbidden to go near the river, besides impositions miles

Noel began to cry

ickedest children in t

ghtened his collar, and pu

aid, 'and you deserve to be. Bu

forget (though but little he deserved it, with the o

I've never known one of you tell a lie, and I've never known one of you do a mean or dishonourable action. And when you have

r guilty creatures knew he was no longer adamant, and they threw themselves into his arms. Do

would go for a soldier. He gave the wet ball one last squeeze, and took his

se it was my rotten cricket ball that stopped up the pipe and caused the midnight

uld feel the hateful cricket ball heavy and cold

oice made Oswald hot all over

s but Oswald's; only I will own it made Oswald not quite

t a kind or generous act, and did no good to anyone or anything except Oswald's own inside feelings. I must say

g one. But he owned up when he needn't have, and this con

in more flattering terms. But Dicky had used Father's ink, and she used

y agreed with Albert's uncle in thinking I deserved as

lling with Noel about that rotten cricket ball;

ed, but it dried all right. But it could never be the

of this story. Perhaps you have done things nearly as bad yourself sometimes. If you have, y

I expect it is only because you neve