LAYING THE KEEL OF THE CARAVAN 43

She dropped the lizard, and it fell into Carleton’s
outspread table-napkin.

Kammy next moment was stalking itinerant flies
round the sugar-basin as coolly as if he had not just
escaped from the very jaws of death.

~The next thing Polly did was to wrench off a
prism of glass from the chandelier, and drop it on the
table. It just missed the milk-jug. She laughed
derisively again, and shouted: “ Everybody’s a wretch !
a wretch, a wretch, a wr-r-retch!”
serious, so she had to be hunted round the room,

This was getting

and finally took refuge in her cage, and proceeded
to regale herself on seeds as coolly as if nothing had
happened,

That was Polly’s way.

After breakfast all hands, with the exception of Mrs.
Radcliffe, betook themselves to the little meadow.

Findlayson said, “ Now then!”

Ben laughed. “Look here, boys,” he said, “ when-
ever Fin says ‘Now then!’ you may look out, for he
means business,”

Findlayson’s man seemed to know this, for he at
once took off his jacket.

“It’s a lovely morning, Ben,” said Fin ; “ but weather
like this isn’t going to continue, so the first thing to
be done is to erect our shed.”

“That’s so,” said Ben. “And here we are all right
and ready to help you.”

“Well, you youngsters go with George, and get out