“But why can’t we?” said Jane.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Cyril’s tone was impatient, “some silly old enchanted rule I suppose. I wish people would teach you magic at school like they do sums—or instead of. It would be some use having an Amulet then.”
“I wonder how far we are in the future,” said Anthea; the Museum looks just the same, only lighter and brighter, somehow.”
“Let’s go back and try the Past again,” said Robert.
“Perhaps the Museum people could tell us how we got it,” said Anthea with sudden hope. There was no one in the room, but in the next gallery, where the Assyrian things are and still were, they found a kind, stout man in a loose, blue gown, and stockinged legs.
“Oh, they’ve got a new uniform, how pretty!” said Jane.
When they asked him their question he showed them a label on the case. It said, “From the collection of—.” A name followed, and it was the name of the learned gentleman who, among themselves, and to his face when he had been with them at the other side of the Amulet, they had called Jimmy.
“That’s not much good,” said Cyril, “thank you.”
“How is it you’re not at school?” asked the kind man in blue. “Not expelled for long I hope?”
“We’re not expelled at all,” said Cyril rather warmly.