New Treasure Seekers; Or, The Bastable Children in Search of a Fortune Read online

  NEW TREASURE SEEKERS

  THE STAIR WAS OF STONE, ARCHED OVERHEAD LIKE CHURCHES.]

  NEW TREASURE SEEKERS

  Or The Bastable Children in Search of a Fortune

  by

  E. NESBIT Author of "The Treasure Seekers," "The Would-Be-Goods," Etc.

  With Illustrations by Gordon Browne and Lewis Baumer

  New YorkFrederick A. Stokes CompanyPublishers

  TO ARTHUR WATTS (OSWALD IN PARIS) FROM E. NESBIT

  _Montparnasse, 1904._

  NEW TREASURE SEEKERS

  CONTENTS

  PAGE THE ROAD TO ROME; OR, THE SILLY STOWAWAY 15

  THE CONSCIENCE-PUDDING 37

  ARCHIBALD THE UNPLEASANT 62

  OVER THE WATER TO CHINA 88

  THE YOUNG ANTIQUARIES 113

  THE INTREPID EXPLORER AND HIS LIEUTENANT 136

  THE TURK IN CHAINS; OR, RICHARD'S REVENGE 161

  THE GOLDEN GONDOLA 185

  THE FLYING LODGER 209

  THE SMUGGLER'S REVENGE 236

  ZAIDA, THE MYSTERIOUS PROPHETESS OF THE GOLDEN ORIENT 262

  THE LADY AND THE LICENSE; OR, FRIENDSHIP'S GARLAND 287

  THE POOR AND NEEDY 311

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

  PAGE

  THE STAIR WAS OF STONE, ARCHED OVERHEAD LIKE CHURCHES _Frontispiece_

  DORA DID SOME WHITE SEWING 19

  THEY LAUGHED EVER SO 34

  AND HE WAS AWFULLY RUDE TO THE SERVANTS 69

  THE OTHERS CAME UP BY THE ROPE-LADDER 73

  SO OSWALD OPENED THE TRAP-DOOR AND SQUINTED DOWN, AND THERE WAS THAT ARCHIBALD 75

  "WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT?" HE ASKED. "NYANG, NYANG," JANE ANSWERED TAUNTINGLY 83

  WHEN FATHER CAME HOME THERE WAS AN AWFUL ROW 85

  IT SEEMS THE SAILOR WAS ASLEEP, BUT OF COURSE WE DID NOT KNOW, OR WE SHOULD NOT HAVE DISTURBED HIM 94

  WE WENT ROUND A CORNER RATHER FAST, AND CAME SLAP INTO THE LARGEST WOMAN I HAVE EVER SEEN 99

  IT WAS INDEED A CELESTIAL CHINAMAN IN DEEP DIFFICULTIES 103

  ON THE SIDEBOARD WAS A BLUEY-WHITE CROCKERY IMAGE 107

  OSWALD LISTENED AS CAREFULLY AS HE COULD, BUT DENNY ALWAYS BUZZES SO WHEN HE WHISPERS 117

  IT WAS NOT TILL NEXT DAY THAT HE OWNED THAT THE TYPEWRITER HAD BEEN A FIEND IN DISGUISE 123

  THE STATIONMASTER AND PORTER LOOKED RESPECTFULLY AT US 127

  HER VOICE WHEN SHE TOLD US WE WERE TRESPASSING WAS NOT SO FURIOUS 131

  THE LUNCH WAS A PERFECT DREAM OF A.1.-NESS 137

  OSWALD DID NOT STRIKE THE NEXT MATCH CAREFULLY ENOUGH 145

  WITH SCISSORS AND GAS PLIERS THEY CUT EVERY FUSE 157

  "HI, BRIGANDS!" HE EXCLAIMED 167

  IT WAS RATHER DIFFICULT TO GET ANYTHING THE SHAPE OF A TURKEY 173

  WHEN THE DOOR WAS SHUT HE SAID, "I AIN'T GOT MUCH TO SAY, YOUNG GEMMEN" 179

  THE FIVE OTHERS 191

  OSWALD SAW THE DRIVER WINK AS HE PUT HIS BOOT ON THE STEP, AND THE PORTER WHO WAS OPENING THE CAB DOOR WINKED BACK 201

  HE LOOKED AT OSWALD'S BOOTS 203

  HE FETCHED DOWN HALF A DOZEN PLANKS AND THE WORKMAN 218

  "HOW MUCH?" SAID THE GENTLEMAN SHORTLY 222

  "THEN I'LL MAKE YOU!" HE SAID, CATCHING HOLD OF OSWALD 232

  A COASTGUARD ORDERED US QUITE HARSHLY 244

  SURE ENOUGH IT WAS SEA-WATER, AS THE UNAMIABLE ONE SAID WHEN HE HAD TASTED IT 259

  "I SAY, BEALIE DEAR, YOU'VE GOT A BOOK UP AT YOUR PLACE" 265

  ALICE BEAT THE DONKEY FROM THE CART, THE REST SHOUTED 272

  "WE'VE GOT MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS," SAID NOEL 280