14 Make-Believe

interrupted her that morning in the midst
of her first painting.

As for the treasure cave, it was a hole
into which you might plunge your arm up
to the elbow, excavated at the bottom of a
heap of garden rubbish that in the course
of many years had decayed to earth. It
was empty ; but the mouth was none the
less religiously hidden from view by a mass
of withered grass.

“It's a grand treasure cave!” said the
Visitor.

“Then you'd like to see the treasure ?”
said Doris.

“Have you a real treasure ?” asked the
Visitor. ‘J used to hunt for one when I
lived down in these parts; but I never
found it, and in the end I grew tired and
went to London. I should like awfully to
see yours.” » .

They climbed the steep garden path,
stopping to glance in at the glass studio,
just then empty, and at the three white
rats—who were unwell, and refused to