“Not I. You couldn’t have caught it, my boy. Come along.”
Oliver resigned himself to his fate, but gazed longingly at several birds dimly seen on high among the leaves, and whose presence would have passed unnoticed if it had not been for their piping cries or screams. But he soon after took a boyish mischievous satisfaction in joining Panton in checking Drew every time he made a point at some botanical treasure.
“No, no,” cried Oliver, “if there is to be no animal, I say no vegetable.”
“Because it’s all mineral. There, be patient,” said Panton. “We haven’t much farther to go, eh, Smith?”
“No, sir, on’y a little bit now. Either o’ you gents think o’ bringing a bit o’ candle or a lantern?”
“Candle?” cried Panton in dismay. “No.”
“What, didn’t yer think o’ that rubub and magneshy stuff, sir?”
“The magnesium wire? Yes, I brought that.”
“Well, that’s something, sir, but we do want candles.”
“And we must have some. Here, Smith, you must go back,” cried Panton.