Two Lirrte Pincrims’ Progress 29
above the edge of the straw. He was wrought up to
the highest pitch. Small wonder that there were
deep red spots on his cheeks, and that there was a
queer intense look in his eyes and about his obstinate
little mouth. He threw up his arms with a desperate
gesture.

“ Hverything,’ he said again, staring straight before
him, “that anyone could want to learn about—every-
thing in all the world.”

“Oh, Robin!” said Meg, in quite a fierce little
voice. “And we—we shall never see it!”

She saw Robin clench his hands though he said
nothing, and it made her clench her own hands.
Rob’s were rough, little, square-fingered fists, brown
and muscular. Meg’s hands were long - fingered,
flexible, and slender, but they made good little fists
when they doubled themselves up.

“ Rob,” she said, “we never see anything—we never
hear anything—we never learn anything. If some-
thing doesn’t happen, we shall be Nothings—that’s
what we shall be—Nothings.” And she struck her
fists upon the straw.

Rob’s jaw began to look very square, but he did
not speak.

“We are twelve years old,” Meg went on. “We've
been here three years, and we don’t know one thing