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Updated: May 31, 2025
They joined in the hymns with more energy than usual, because they felt "singy" and knew the tunes as well. Colonel Stumper handed round one of the bags at the end of a long pole and, though the clergyman didn't look at all as if he required feeding, the threepenny bits dropped in without the least regret on the part of the contributors.
It was both real and unreal, something better beckoned beyond all the time; but there was no hurry. It was a deep childhood mystery wonder filled them to the brim. "Come on, children; we'll be off now," sounded their uncle's voice, and at the same moment Come-Back Stumper joined them. He had been counting over the money with the clergyman, of course, all this time. He was very slow.
"There was no time " then stopped abruptly. She turned towards Come-Back Stumper; she gave him a hurried and affectionate hug. "And then," she asked, "what happened next?" Stumper returned the hug, including Tim in it too. "I found this fluttering in my hand," he said, and held up a small grey feather for them to admire. "It's the only clue I've got. The pigeon left it."
"Hundreds of them everywhere," mentioned Tim beneath his breath to Judy. But Stumper overheard them. "Common sort! Hundreds everywhere!" he shouted, his voice almost choking in his throat; "look at the colour! Look at the shape, I tell you! Listen to it!" He said the last words with a sudden softness. They lowered their heads again for a new examination. "What more d'you want, I'd like to know?
The important thing was that they were getting warmer. Then Judy suddenly nudged Tim, and Tim nudged Uncle Felix, and Uncle Felix dug his elbow into Come-Back Stumper, and Stumper somehow or other caught the attention of the Tramp a sort of panting sound, half-whistle and half-gasp. They paused and looked behind them. "He's ready," remarked their Leader, with a laughing chuckle in his beard.
"Uncommon," agreed the Tramp, "and no mistake about it. They knew, you see." They no longer called each other "Sir" and "General"; they had come to an understanding apparently. "Umph!" said Stumper, and looked round shyly at the others. Stumper was evidently under the stress of some divine emotion he was half ashamed of. An unwonted passion stirred him.
Like a wee veiled torch it scuttled across the palm, climbed the thumb, popped down the other side and dropped upon the ground. Vanished as soon as seen! "A beetle!" exclaimed Uncle Felix. "A tiny beetle!" "But dipped in colour," said Stumper with enthusiasm, "the colour of the dawn!" "Another sign! I never!" He was envious of the soldier's triumph.
"By George, that's a stumper," replied Pan, sitting down in the shade. "Huh! Reckon you figger we ought to pack them back to Marco an' give them church services," said Blinky, in disgust. "Jest a couple of two-bit rustlers!" "Somebody will come out here after their bodies, surely. Dick Hardman would want to " "Mebbe someone will, but not thet hombre," declared Blinky.
It had the face of a man yellowish, patched with red, breathless and very hot. It was Come-back Stumper. He glared at them, furious at being disturbed, yet with an uneasy air, half comical, half ashamed, as of being caught. He took on a truculent, aggressive attitude, as though he knew he would have to explain himself and did not want to do so. He turned and faced them.
Among the former were Colonel William Stumper, C.B., a retired Indian soldier who lived in the Manor House beyond the church and had written a book on Scouting; a nameless Station-Master, whom they saw rarely when they accompanied Daddy to the London train; a Policeman, who walked endlessly up and down the muddy or dusty lanes, and came to the front door with a dirty little book in his big hands at Christmas-time; and a Tramp, who slept in barns and haystacks, and haunted the great London Road ever since they had once handed him a piece of Mrs.
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