"I like those catseyes better than anything else in the whole museum," said she. "And I mean to make Grandpapa give me one of them. It would make a lovely little brooch, you know. Oh, what a bother! The case is locked. Where is the key?"
"It isn't meant to be opened, Miss," I said.
"Have you got a key?" said she.
I was glad to be able to say "No," for Mr. Laurence kept the keys himself of the smaller cases; but the next moment she gave a little scream, and lifted up the glass lid. And I saw that the lock had just failed to catch. Mr. Laurence must have turned the key in a hurry, not noticing that the lid wasn't quite closed, and so he had really locked it open. Miss Adela's hand grasped the biggest catseye in a moment; and I knew I had no easy task before me. For it wasn't difficult to see, with all her sweetness, that she was a good deal spoilt, and used to getting her own way.
"We mustn't touch anything inside," I said. "Mr. Laurence wouldn't like it. Put that back, please, Miss."
She opened her eyes wide, and looked at me in astonishment.
"You don't think you've got to tell me what to do!" said she, with a grand air.
"I'm in charge, Miss," I said; "and I can't have the things meddled with."
"I'm going to keep this dear little catseye till Grandpapa comes in, and then I shall make him give it to me," said she.
"If he gives it you, that's all right," I said; "but till he does, it's got to stay here in my charge."