Page:The Story of the Treasure Seekers.djvu/327

Rh that we were quite sure there was no more gold in the house, because we happened to have looked very carefully.

"Well, silver, then," said he; "let's hide the plate-basket, and little Alice shall make the divining-rod find it. Eh!&mdash;what?"

"There isn't any silver in the plate-basket now," Dora said. "Eliza asked me to borrow the silver spoons and forks for your dinner last night from Albert-next-door's Mother. Father never notices, but she thought it would be nicer for you. Our own silver went to have the dents taken out; and I don't think Father could afford to pay the man for doing it, for the silver hasn't come back."

"Bless my soul!" said the Uncle again, looking at the hole in the big chair that we burnt when we had Guy Fawkes' day indoors. "And how much pocket-money do you get? Eh!&mdash;what?"

"We don't have any now," said Alice; "but indeed we don't want the other shilling. We'd much rather you had it, wouldn't we?"

And the rest of us said, "Yes." The Uncle wouldn't take it, but he asked a lot of questions, and at last he went away. And when he went he said&mdash;

"Well, youngsters, I've enjoyed myself very