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58 flying fingers, achieved a tinkling tune that sounded a little like "My Bonny Lies Over the Ocean."

"It would make quite a good vaudeville turn," said Jim, "except that so many lamp-chimneys would be awkward to carry about. And your high C or your middle G might break just when you needed it."

"But I think it's amazing," said Joan. "They really have a wonderfully sweet tone."

At the foot of the spiral staircase leading out of the service-room Jim set Garth upon his shoulder and went on up. It was not a high light-tower, yet they climbed round and round until Joan was almost dizzy before they reached the last short ladder. She found, then, that she stood in the lantern—an octagonal glass room, with the lamp itself in the center. Pemberley drew the curtains away from the great lens and exhibited to Joan what he called the "internal workings" of the Light. He explained it all very carefully, showing her the beautiful intricacy of the layers of cut and polished glass. But when he began talking of Fresnel lenses and the dioptric system, Joan shook her head.

"It's perfectly simple," Jim insisted.