158 History of Gutta-Percha Willie,

 

garden, they did not go to the open field, but
sent up the kite from the windlass, and Mona
was able by means of the winch to let out the
string, while Willie kept watching for the mo-
ment when the golden ball should catch the light.
They did the same for several mornings after,
and Willie managed, with the master’s help, to
calculate exactly the height to which the ball
had flown when first it gained a peep of the sun
in bed,

One windy evening they sent the kite up in the
hope that it would fly till the morning; but the
wind fell in the night, and when the sun came near
there was no golden ball in the air to greet him.
So, instead of rejoicing in its glitter far aloft, they
had to set out, guided by the string, to find the
fallen Lucifer, The kite was of small consequence,
but the golden ball Willie could not replace.
Alas! that very evening he had added a great
length of string—so much, that when the wind
ceased the kite could just reach the river, into
which it fell; and when the searchers at length
drew Sun-scout from the water they found his
glory had departed; the golden ball had been
beaten and ground upon the stones of the stream,
and never more did they send him climbing up the
heavens to welcome the lord of day.

Indeed, it was many years before Willie flew a
kite again, for, after a certain conversation with his