They passed over a wide desert, and reached a long, blue river, on the banks of which were the ruins of old, old cities.
“What lovely ruins!” said Coppertop. “They’re too lovely for words! I do love old things!”
“Just look at that huge person!” she cried, pointing to a gigantic stone figure, standing on guard at the entrance to an ancient temple.
“I expect that is older than—older than——”
“Mummie!” suggested Kiddiwee.
“Oh, millions of times!” laughed Coppertop. “Mummie isn’t so very old.”
As they were passing by a sudden breeze sprang up—a spiteful, waspish breeze—that flattened their wings against their backs, making it difficult to fly; and it blew the sand up into clouds.
And as it whistled round the great stone figure they distinctly heard a voice say:
“Come inside!
Come inside!