Page:Anderson--Isle of seven moons.djvu/22

10 "An island that vanishes!"

"Yes, now it's here—hills and trees and rainbow bays—and then all-of-a-sudden it drops out of sight."

"Over the edge of the world?"

"I suppose."

"But you don't believe that?"

"Not exactly."

"And you haven't seen it?"

"Not exactly."

"Now you're jollying me."

"No, honest, Sally, I've met a lot of men you wouldn't call fools who swore they'd seen it."

"It's too spooky to be true."

"Of course."

"But you told me men you believed swore they'd seen it!"

"So they did, but I wouldn't worry about it. It's nice enough here."

"But it's more beautiful there, isn't it?"

"Where? In those vanishing islands? I haven't seen them."

"But the ones you have."

"Yes, it's beautiful enough, but it suits me here."

But Sally, though complimented, was straining at her anchor.

"Tell me about it."

"Well it's warm, and the people are dirty, and there isn't much plumbing"

"That isn't the way you told it before."

Well, how did I begin?"