"Oh, come on! Let's get to our lessons," said Ida. "I'm sick of that stupid box."
At that moment Brian, who had stayed behind to put the chest back in its place, appeared in the room.
"Uncle," he said, "this cork has got a little round label on the top, with the name of a chemist on it—'Greenworthy.'"
Mr. Ormond took the cork, looked at it, held it nearer the lamp, and looked at it again.
"This is curious," he muttered.
"What's curious, father?" asked Elsie.
"Why, this cork has Greenworthy's name on it, and Greenworthy hasn't been in business for more than ten years at the outside, so how can one of his corks come to be inside a box that has been shut for twenty?"
"Then the box has been opened," said Brian.
Mr. Ormond seemed to doubt this. "One of you children must have dropped the cork in just now," he said. "Are you sure you didn't, Brian?"
"Quite sure, uncle," answered the boy.