the story of the treasure seekers-第27部分

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had　heard　the　dreadful　truth　from　his　own　lips；　so　I　went　on；

'because　of　〃Lo；　the　poor　Indian〃　…　you　know　…　and　you　can't　get　a

good　dinner　every　day。　　And　we　are　very　sorry　if　you're　poor；　and

won't　you　come　and　have　dinner　with　us　to…morrow　…　with　us

children；　I　mean？　　It's　a　very；　very　good　dinner　…　rabbit；　and

hardbake；　and　coconut　…　and　you　needn't　mind　us　knowing　you　re

poor；　because　we　know　honourable　poverty　is　no　disgrace；　and　…'　I

could　have　gone　on　much　longer；　but　he　interrupted　me　to　say　…

'Upon　my　word！　　And　what's　your　name；　eh？'



'Oswald　Bastable；'　I　said；　and　I　do　hope　you　people　who　are　reading

this　story　have　not　guessed　before　that　I　was　Oswald　all　the　time。



'Oswald　Bastable；　eh？　　Bless　my　soul！'　said　the　poor　Indian。　　'Yes；

I'll　dine　with　you；　Mr　Oswald　Bastable；　with　all　the　pleasure　in

life。　　Very　kind　and　cordial　invitation；　I'm　sure。　　Good　night；

sir。　　At　one　o'clock；　I　presume？'



'Yes；　at　one；'　I　said。　　'Good　night；　sir。'



Then　I　went　in　and　told　the　others；　and　we　wrote　a　paper　and　put　it

on　the　boy's　dressing…　table；　and　it　said　…



'The　poor　Indian　is　coming　at　one。　　He　seemed　very　grateful　to　me

for　my　kindness。'



We　did　not　tell　Father　that　the　Uncle　was　coming　to　dinner　with　us；

for　the　polite　reason　that　I　have　explained　before。　　But　we　had　to

tell　Eliza；　so　we　said　a　friend　was　coming　to　dinner　and　we　wanted

everything　very　nice。　　I　think　she　thought　it　was　Albert…next…door；

but　she　was　in　a　good　temper　that　day；　and　she　agreed　to　cook　the

rabbit　and　to　make　a　pudding　with　currants　in　it。　　And　when　one

o'clock　came　the　Indian　Uncle　came　too。　　I　let　him　in　and　helped

him　off　with　his　greatcoat；　which　was　all　furry　inside；　and　took

him　straight　to　the　nursery。　　We　were　to　have　dinner　there　as

usual；　for　we　had　decided　from　the　first　that　he　would　enjoy

himself　more　if　he　was　not　made　a　stranger　of。　　We　agreed　to　treat

him　as　one　of　ourselves；　because　if　we　were　too　polite；　he　might

think　it　was　our　pride　because　he　was　poor。



He　shook　hands　with　us　all　and　asked　our　ages；　and　what　schools　we

went　to；　and　shook　his　head　when　we　said　we　were　having　a　holiday

just　now。　　I　felt　rather　uncomfortable　…　I　always　do　when　they　talk

about　schools　…　and　I　couldn't　think　of　anything　to　say　to　show　him

we　meant　to　treat　him　as　one　of　ourselves。　　I　did　ask　if　he　played

cricket。　　He　said　he　had　not　played　lately。　　And　then　no　one　said

anything　till　dinner　came　in。　　We　had　all　washed　our　faces　and

hands　and　brushed　our　hair　before　he　came　in；　and　we　all　looked

very　nice；　especially　Oswald；　who　had　had　his　hair　cut　that　very

morning。　　When　Eliza　had　brought　in　the　rabbit　and　gone　out　again；

we　looked　at　each　other　in　silent　despair；　like　in　books。　　It

seemed　as　if　it　were　going　to　be　just　a　dull　dinner　like　the　one

the　poor　Indian　had　had　the　night　before；　only；　of　course；　the

things　to　eat　would　be　nicer。　　Dicky　kicked　Oswald　under　the　table

to　make　him　say　something　…　and　he　had　his　new　boots　on；　too！　…　but

Oswald　did　not　kick　back；　then　the　Uncle　asked　…



'Do　you　carve；　sir；　or　shall　I？'



Suddenly　Alice　said　…



'Would　you　like　grown…up　dinner；　Uncle；　or　play…dinner？'



He　did　not　hesitate　a　moment；　but　said；　'Play…dinner；　by　all　means。



Eh！　…　what？'　and　then　we　knew　it　was　all　right。



So　we　at　once　showed　the　Uncle　how　to　be　a　dauntless　hunter。　　The

rabbit　was　the　deer　we　had　slain　in　the　green　forest　with　our

trusty　yew　bows；　and　we　toasted　the　joints　of　it；　when　the　Uncle

had　carved　it；　on　bits　of　firewood　sharpened　to　a　point。　　The

Uncle's　piece　got　a　little　burnt；　but　he　said　it　was　delicious；　and

he　said　game　was　always　nicer　when　you　had　killed　it　yourself。　

When　Eliza　had　taken　away　the　rabbit　bones　and　brought　in　the

pudding；　we　waited　till　she　had　gone　out　and　shut　the　door；　and

then　we　put　the　dish　down　on　the　floor　and　slew　the　pudding　in　the

dish　in　the　good　old…fashioned　way。　　It　was　a　wild　boar　at　bay；　and

very　hard　indeed　to　kill；　even　with　forks。　　The　Uncle　was　very

fierce　indeed　with　the　pudding；　and　jumped　and　howled　when　he

speared　it；　but　when　it　came　to　his　turn　to　be　helped；　he　said；

'No；　thank　you；　think　of　my　liver。　　Eh！　…　what？'



But　he　had　some　almonds　and　raisins　…　when　we　had　climbed　to　the

top　of　the　chest　of　drawers　to　pluck　them　from　the　boughs　of　the

great　trees；　and　he　had　a　fig　from　the　cargo　that　the　rich

merchants　brought　in　their　ship　…　the　long　drawer　was　the　ship　…

and　the　rest　of　us　had　the　sweets　and　the　coconut。　　It　was　a　very

glorious　and　beautiful　feast；　and　when　it　was　over　we　said　we　hoped

it　was　better　than　the　dinner　last　night。　　And　he　said：



'I　never　enjoyed　a　dinner　more。'　　He　was　too　polite　to　say　what　he

really　thought　about　Father's　dinner。　　And　we　saw　that　though　he

might　be　poor；　he　was　a　true　gentleman。



He　smoked　a　cigar　while　we　finished　up　what　there　was　left　to　eat；

and　told　us　about　tiger　shooting　and　about　elephants。　　We　asked　him

about　wigwams；　and　wampum；　and　mocassins；　and　beavers；　but　he　did

not　seem　to　know；　or　else　he　was　shy　about　talking　of　the　wonders

of　his　native　land。



We　liked　him　very　much　indeed；　and　when　he　was　going　at　last；　Alice

nudged　me；　and　I　said　…　'There's　one　and　threepence　farthing　left

out　of　our　half…sovereign。　　Will　you　take　it；　please；　because　we　do

like　you　very　much　indeed；　and　we　don't　want　it；　really；　and　we

would　rather　you　had　it。'　　And　I　put　the　money　into　his　hand。



'I'll　take　the　threepenny…bit；'　he　said；　turning　the　money　over　and

looking　at　it；　'but　I　couldn't　rob　you　of　the　rest。　　By　the　way；

where　did　you　get　the　money　for　this　most　royal　spread　…　half　a

sovereign　you　said　…　eh；　what？'



We　told　him　all　about　the　different　ways　we　had　looked　for

treasure；　and　when　we　had　been　telling　some　time　he　sat　down；　to

listen　better　and　at　last　we　told　him　how　Alice　had　played　at

divining…rod；　and　how　it　really　had　found　a　half…sovereign。



Then　he　said　he　would　like　to　see　her　do　it　again。　　But　we

explained　that　the　rod　would　only　show　gold　and　silver；　and　that　we

were　quite　sure　there　was　no　more　gold　in　the　house；　because　we

happened　to　have　looked　very　carefully。



'Well；　silver；　then；'　said　he；　'let's　hide　the　plate…basket；　and

little　Alice　shall　make　the　divining…rod　find　it。　　Eh！　…　what？'



'There　isn't　any　silver　in　the　plate…basket　now；'　Dora　said。　

'Eliza　asked　me　to　borrow　the　silver　spoons　and　forks　for　your

dinner　last　night　from　Albert…next…door's　Mother。　　Father　never

notices；　but　she　thought　it　would　be　nicer　for　you。　　Our　own　silver

went　to　have　the　dents　taken　out；　and　I　don't　think　Father　could

afford　to　pay　the　man　for　doing　it；　for　the　silver　hasn't　come

back。'



'Bless　my　soul！'　said　the　Uncle　again；　looking　at　the　hole　in　the

big　chair　that　we　burnt　when　we　had　Guy　Fawkes'　Day　indoors。　　'And

how　much　pocket…money　do　you　get？　　Eh！　…　what？'



'We　don't　have　any　now；'　said　Alice；　'but　indeed　we　don't　want　the

other　shilling。　　We'd　much　rather　you　had　it；　wouldn't　we？'



And　the　rest　of　us　said；　'Yes。'　　The　Uncle　wouldn't　take　it；　but　he

asked　a　lot　of　questions；　and　at　last　he　went　away。　　And　when　he

went　he　said　…



'Well；　youngsters；　I've　enjoyed　myself　very　much。　　I　shan't　forget

your　kind　hospitality。　　Perhaps　the　poor　Indian　may　be　in　a

position　to　ask　you　all　to　dinner　some　day。'



Oswald　said　if　he　ever　could　we　should　like　to　come　very　much；　but

he　was　not　to　trouble　to　get　such　a　nice　dinner　as　ours；　because　we

could　do　very　well　with　cold　mutton　and　rice　pudding。　　We　do　not

like　these　things；　but　Oswald　knows　how　to　behave。　　Then　the　poor

Indian　went　away。



We　had　not　got　any　treasure　by　this　party；　but　we　had　had　a　very

good　time；　and　I　am　sure　the　Uncle　enjoyed　himself。



We　were　so　sorry　he　was　gone　that　we　could　none　of　us　eat　much　tea；

but　we　did　not　mind；　because　we　had　pleased　the　poor　Indian　and

enjoyed　ourselves　too。　　Besides；　as　Dora　said；　'A　contented　mind　is

a　continual　feast；'　so　it　did　not　matter　about　not　wanting　tea。



Only　H。　O。　did　not　seem　to　think　a　continual　feast　was　a　contented

mind；　and　Eliza　gave　him　a　powder　in　what　was　left　of　the

red…currant　jelly　Father　had　for　the　nasty　dinner。



But　the　rest　of　us　were　quite　well；　and　I　think　it　must　have　been

the　coconut　with　H。　O。　We　hoped　nothing　had　disagreed　with　the

Uncle；　but　we　never　knew。







CHAPTER　16

THE　END　OF　THE　TREASURE…SEEKING





Now　it　is　coming　near　the　end　of　our　treasure…seeking；　and　the　end

was　so　wonderful　that　now　nothing　is　like　It　used　to　be。　　It　is

like　as　if　our　fortunes　had　been　in　an　earthquake；　and　after　those；

you　know；　everything　comes　out　wrong…way　up。



The　day　after　the　Uncle　speared　the　pudding　with　us　opened　in　gloom

and　sadness。　　But　you　never　know。　　It　was　destined　to　be　a　day　when

things　happened。　　Yet　no　sign　of　this　appeared　in　the　early

morning。　　Then　all　was　misery　and　upsetness。　　None　of　us　felt　quite

well；　I　don't　know　why：　and　Father　had　one　of　his　awful　colds；　so

Dora　persuaded　him　not　to　go　to　London；　but　to　stay　cosy　and　warm

in　the　study；　and　she　made　him　some　gruel。　　She　makes　it　better

than　Eliza　does；　Eliza's　gruel　is　all　little　lumps；　and　when　you

suck　them　it　is　dry　oatmeal　inside。



We　kept　as　quiet　as　we　could；　and　I　made　H。　O。　do　some　lessons；

like　the　G。　B。　had　advised　us　to。　　But　it　was　very　dull。　　There　are

some　days　when　you　seem　to　have　got　to　the　end　of　all　the　things

that　could　ever　possibly　happen　to　you；　and　you　feel　you　will　spend

all　the　rest　of　your　life　doing　dull　things　just　the　same　way。　

Days　like　this　are　generally　wet　days。　　But；　as　I　said；　you　never

know。



Then　Dicky　said　if　things　went　on　like　this　he　should　run　away　to

sea；　and　Alice　said　she　thought　it　would　be　rather　nice　to　go　into

a　convent。　　H。　O。　was　a　little　disagreeable　because　of　the　powder

Eliza　had　given　him；　so　he　trie