United States or Angola ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"It'll do nicely for the museum, won't it?" said David, "and we'll write a label for it with `Roman snail, found near Rumborough Camp." By this time it was no longer possible to avoid seeing that Miss Grey was waving her parasol in the far distance.
Pennie! Look! Phere's Miss Barnicroft going to call." Mrs Hawthorne roused herself at once from her book, for no one could look forward with indifference to a visit from Miss Barnicroft. Not very far from the Roman camp Rumborough Common ended in a rough rutty road, or rather lane, and about half-way down this stood a small white cottage with a thatched roof.
David had said they looked bright and new; perhaps they belonged to someone alive now, who had buried them in Rumborough Camp for safety. If this were so, he and David were robbers! There was no other name for them. This was such a new and terrible idea that he felt unable to keep it entirely to himself.
Rumborough Common looked coldly desolate as ever, and as they passed the Camp and saw the very hole where the crock had been buried an idea struck David. "Mightn't we put it where we got it, and tell her it's there?" he asked. But the vicar would not hear of this. "You must give it back into Miss Barnicroft's own hands," he answered, "and tell her how you came to dig it up.
Besides, how could he miss the intense joy of digging in Rumborough Camp, of hearing his spade strike with a hollow "clink" against some iron casket or rusty piece of armour? Perhaps they might even be lucky enough to find a skull! It was too much to resist. "I'll come," he said slowly. "I know it's wrong, but I'll come. And I'm not a bit afraid, so you needn't think that."
He clasped his hands closely over his scarlet face and listened for the vicar's answer. "I don't think you chose a very safe place to hide your money," he said. "Gypsies and pedlars and tramps are constantly passing over Rumborough Common. Someone probably saw you bury it there." "I am more inclined to think that it was stolen by someone in the parish," said Miss Barnicroft.
Rumborough Common was a desolate and somewhat alarming place, and besides he might find too many valuable curiosities to carry home by himself. David's advice and help must certainly, therefore, be asked. What would he think of it? Ambrose felt a little bit doubtful.
They remained in the cold light of day as bare as ever, with great spaces between the few specimens, and by degrees, as he gazed mournfully at them, a thought began to take shape in his mind and to become more and more enticing. Why should not he and David go to Rumborough Camp alone?
So far they were not beyond the allowed limits, and though they instinctively drew closer together as they passed through the herd of cows, they felt that none of the perils of the adventure had begun. It was all familiar ground until they had passed the farm. Then came Blackberry Lane, which was a short cut to Rumborough Common.
"Isn't it a pity," said Ambrose, "that we couldn't ask father to take us to Rumborough? We could find enough there to fill the museum easily in half an hour." David nodded and sighed. "Why shouldn't we go alone?" said Ambrose, making a bold plunge. "I know the way." He looked full at his brother. David did not seem at all startled.
Word Of The Day