“Yes; and see how big it is,” said Phil. “It’s going to take us a long time to explore it.”
“Explore is hardly the word——” Jessie was beginning, when Evelyn interrupted, “It doesn’t make any difference what you call it, but I’m just going to look and look and look till I can’t look any more.”
“Well, that’s what it is here for,” laughed Mr. Payton; “and now I’ll tell you what I am going to do with you young people. When we get you well started on your sight-seeing, Mrs. Payton and I are going to run away to hunt up this tragic hero and reinstate him and his sweetheart, if it lies within our power. We’ll be back in an hour or two, and I guess there will be plenty to interest you for that length of time. So, in with you; there’s no time to lose,” and he propelled his laughing flock before him up the broad stone steps.
Once inside, as may be easily imagined, the girls experienced no trouble in finding things to absorb their interest, and it was hard for them to take time to say good-by to their chaperons. The latter laughingly left them to their own devices, feeling sure that they were safe for the time being, at any rate.
“Talk about spending an hour here! Why, I could spend a week in just one room!” exclaimed Jessie, after half an hour of blissful wandering. “I never saw so many things all at once in my life.”
“I suppose you girls have never visited our great museums at home?” Jack questioned. “I have often felt that way myself; a person could spend a month just studying the things in one room, and still not know all he should about them.”
“By home I suppose you mean New York,” said Jessie; then added, demurely, “You forget, sir, that we are simple country maids, who have hardly stepped outside of Burleigh until this summer.”
“Yes, I guess that’s one reason why we like everything so much,” said Evelyn, naively. 178
“Oh, the mummies, the mummies! I must see the mummies!” cried Lucile, startling the others with the suddenness of her outburst. “Oh, Jack, please take me to the mummies.”
“There, there; she shall have her mummies if she wants them,” said Jack, soothingly. “If they haven’t enough, I’ll head an expedition to Egypt for more right away, so don’t worry; you shall have all you want.”