Brian laughed, and Elsie, who seemed unable to sit still on her chair, burst out with—"Father, if it is full of bank-notes, will you buy us a pony?"
"I think I must take an example from Brian, and be cautious," answered her father, laughing. "There are bank-notes and bank-notes. They might each be worth five pounds or five hundred; and between the two there is a considerable difference."
"If it's full of five-pound notes, would you buy us a pony?"
"Well—yes. I think I may safely say I would," answered Mr. Ormond, with another laugh. "But," he added, "I'm afraid, Elsie, that I shan't be called upon to fulfil my promise."
Elsie clapped her hands. Her mother smiled, and paused in the act of raising the silver teapot.
"Come, now," she remarked; "suppose each of you say in turn what you think will be found inside this wonderful box that has been shut up for twenty years."
"Father, you begin," said Ida—"you guess first."
"I'm sure I can't form any idea," was the answer. "What does your mother say?"
"I'll guess it's full of old letters and papers," was the reply.
"O mother, how uninteresting!" exclaimed Ida. "I'll say it's jewellery and silver plate."