Part 34 (2/2)

Nesta knew this also, but she said nothing for once

Herbert led the way out of the house in silence

Out of doors Nesta displayed just the sas The sun-dial she noticed from a distance

”That has '_Sic transit vita_' on it,” she said hurriedly, lest she should be forestalled ”Oh, and that tank is the little well place e”

But she received a check later

”The good old swing and the giant's stride,” she said with enthusiasm

”No--new ones,” said Herbert with satisfaction; ”the old ones were rotten, and these were put up for us”

Nesta put her next venture in the form of a question

”Is that the summer-house mother and the aunts played dolls in?”

”No,” said Brenda, ”that fell down This ishad the i see for the Australians, though Nesta did flatter herself she e of Maze Court and pretty well surprised her cousins It annoyed her that Eustace had been so duly unable to say s It showed a lack of spirit about hihs they fed out of with the coolies, and his assertion only that e and astonish the Dixons

”I expect he's afraid of Herbert,” she thought; ”but I'm not”

Eustace was not either, but he was just a little ashaht of day it seeht Bob would not have thought much of him for it; it was rather babyish

Oh, how hoiven to have seen Bob walking down one of those wide paths towards them Good old Bob! Poor old Bob! What would Brenda and Herbert think if they only knew all that story? It was enough to keep the boy silent to have such thoughts as these starting up in his h to ht of Bob alone had power to do that; he was so big, so splendid, such a ardens into the park theyflushed and flustered, ”isn't Master Peter with you? I can't find him anywhere I just left hiht to tell hi in one roo for us”

”But it is very naughty of hilish nurse in vexation

”Peter wouldn't hty,” said Eustace in the saether all day long on the veranda”

”That's all very fine,” said nurse, ”but it doesn't find him for me I just hope he won't coet him”

”Could he come to any harm?” asked Nesta anxiously

”Well, there are ponds he could fall into, and places he could clis everywhere he could handle and break,” said the woet as he is He is all the ti he sees”

There ian a hunt for Peter Here, there, and everywhere they went in pairs, but nowhere could he be found They called him, but there was no answer; they asked every one theywith Mr and Mrs Orban; there seemed no one to appeal to

The search reminded Eustace of the story of the loss of Aunt Dorothy, and he went and looked in the turret and the secret chah the cupboard door; but Peter was not there

Nurse was becoe Eustace and Nesta began to be worried Herbert was cross because this prevented his rabbit-shooting; he could not very well go away leaving such an anxious household as this Brenda felt sorry both for hi