Two had been plucked
already, so he laid these at once upon the clear embers.
"I do not know what we are to do with ourselves," said Hanky, "till
Sunday. To-day is Thursday--it is the twenty-ninth, is it not? Yes, of
course it is--Sunday is the first. Besides, it is on our permit.
To-morrow we can rest; what, I wonder, can we do on Saturday? But the
others will be here then, and we can tell them about the statues."
"Yes, but mind you do not blurt out anything about the landrails."
"I think we may tell Dr. Downie."
"Tell nobody," said Panky.
They then talked about the statues, concerning which it was plain that
nothing was known. But my father soon broke in upon their conversation
with the first instalment of quails, which a few minutes had sufficed to
cook.
"What a delicious bird a quail is," said Hanky.
"Landrail, Hanky, landrail," said the other reproachfully.
Having finished the first birds in a very few minutes they returned to
the statues.
"Old Mrs. Nosnibor," said Panky, "says the Sunchild told her they were
symbolic of ten tribes who had incurred the displeasure of the sun, his
father."
I make no comment on my father's feelings.
"Of the sun! his fiddlesticks' ends," retorted Hanky. "He never called
the sun his father. Besides, from all I have heard about him, I take it
he was a precious idiot.
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