"There's no mystery exactly about this, as far as I can see," he said; "I've seen the picture before."
"What! who is it then?" inquired the three.
"Uncle Derrick—he's yours as well as ours, he's uncle to all of us, of course. Your father's brother, and my mother's brother"—there was rather a strange sound in Donald's voice.
"But we've never heard about him, never in all our lives," moaned Peter, "and he looks so jolly sporting. Is he dead?"
"No," Donald was beginning awkwardly, when Robin interrupted with authority. "Look here, Peter, you're to stow it. We'll ask Mother to-morrow, and if she's willing we'll go on. I'm Captain of this camp, and you're to obey orders, d'you understand?"
CHAPTER IX
"I say, Mother, don't hurry off, wait a jiff, won't you?"
The morning "confab" was over; the boat was pulled up close to the bank, and Mrs. Vaughan stood at the river-side; she was just turning to go back to the Chase when Robin's voice detained her. "What is it?" she asked, "Anything wrong? Are you sick of camping?
"Rather not. It's something jolly different. It's——" Robin hesitated. "We're gradually finding out something," he said, "and we want to go on. It's about—— Mother, have we got an Uncle Derrick? For, if so, is there anything mysterious about him?"