Penelope and the Others | Page 4

ways of spending 4 pence a week, and though he had a thrifty nature, David had never found any difficulty in laying out his money. Again, Nancy's behaviour had been most disappointing. She had always been so fond of the old mandarin, who had so often nodded his head for her pleasure, that Pennie had counted on her support, but instead of this she had only displayed a most perverse and provoking spirit.
Pennie sighed to remember all these drawbacks, but she determined not to be beaten without an effort, and directly after tea she set about preparing a box to receive all possible contributions. Would David lend his china cottage for the purpose? This being graciously given she printed the words, "For the Mandarin" in large letters on a piece of paper, pasted it on the front, and set the house up on the school-room mantel-piece that it might be constantly before the general eye.
CHAPTER TWO.
THE ROMAN CAMP.
It was about a week after this that the children one day persuaded Miss Grey to go home across Rumborough Common after a walk. She never liked to do so, because it was a lonely, desolate place frequented by gypsies and tramps, but the boys had a special reason for wishing it. There were the remains of what was called a Roman camp there, which, they felt sure, was full of strange and curious things--coins, medals, bones, beads, all manner of desirable objects to add to their collection for the museum. They had never been lucky enough to find any, but hope did not forsake them, and as often as they could persuade Miss Grey to cross the common, they lingered behind the others as much as they possibly could and kept an eager look-out.
Unfortunately, Miss Grey never walked so fast as in that particular spot, and was always urging them to quicken their pace, so that it was possible to miss many valuable curiosities. Otherwise, with time before them, and the aid of a spade and a pickaxe, Ambrose and David felt that they could have unearthed treasures which would have filled their museum easily. To-day they were so far behind that Miss Grey and their sisters were almost out of sight. Ambrose had been giving David a little solid information about the Romans, their wars, customs, and personal appearance, when he was suddenly interrupted by his brother.
"I suppose," said David, "you forgot the museum when you told Pennie you'd give your money every week?"
Ambrose did not want to be reminded of that promise, which he had already begun to regret; besides, this question showed that David had not been attending to the Romans.
"Why, of course," he said impatiently; "we sha'n't buy things for the museum. We shall just find them by degrees."
"I don't believe we shall ever get enough things before the winter," replied David, with his eyes fixed on the short dry turf at his feet. "Oh, look!" he exclaimed suddenly, "there's a funny snail."
Ambrose stooped to examine it. It was an empty white shell with curious black stripes on it.
"It's a Roman snail," he said rising with a superior air. "You know they used to eat them."
David stood with his short legs wide apart, his hands in his pockets, his grave eyes fixed on the shell in his brother's hand.
"Did the Romans bring it?" he asked. "How very old it must be!"
"How stupid you are!" said Ambrose. "Of course I meant they brought some like it, and then there got to be more and more snails--like Sir Walter Raleigh and the potato."
"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. Probably one of the girls would be sent back to fetch them if they did not go at once, so with the snail carefully secured they set off towards her at a quick trot.
"Don't you wish," jerked out Ambrose in short sentences as he ran, "that father would bring us--with a spade--and dig--and find things?"
"It would be splendid," gasped David. "Do you think he would?"
"I say," called out Ambrose, without replying to this, as they got near to the others, "guess what we've found."
"A skull," said Nancy at once, mentioning the thing which the boys wanted most for their museum.
"How could it be a skull, silly?" said Ambrose scornfully, "when I'm holding it inside my hand?"
More guesses followed, but in vain, and at last the Roman snail was displayed to the wondering gaze of Pennie and Nancy. Not that they had any part or lot in matters concerning the museum. That belonged to the boys alone, and was jealously guarded as their