As it grew later, and more and more of the townspeople put their lights out and went to bed, the shell grew warm less often. But in the end the children were sure they had proved its secret: that he who held it upon his person would feel it grow warm if anyone anywhere in the world spoke of him.
They were now both dead tired. And, with the shell safely hid beneath his pillow, Giles murmured as he fell asleep:
‘I suppose it’s magic ... I s’pose it’s magic. Don’t you think ... it’s magic, Anne?’
But from Anne’s bed there came no answer. She was already asleep.
7 Michael the Blind Man
Next morning it was only just light when Giles woke his sister up—by throwing a slipper over on to her cot.
‘The thing to work out now,’ said Giles, ‘is, who is to get the shell. “Whoever shall carry the Whispering Shell to the one in greatest need of it shall make his fortune”—that’s what Agnes said. Well, Father is the one most in need. How about him?’
At once, still fuddled with sleep though she was, Anne shook her head hard.
‘Be sensible, Giles,’ she warned. ‘What would Father have to do with anything like this which smacks of magic. Fancy asking such a very—er—sensible man to carry around a shell in his pocket, waiting for it to get hot before he listened to it! No, Giles, we’ve got to be very careful how we go about this business. I would not be surprised if we find it very difficult to get any grown-up person even to take the shell and try it.’
‘Doctor Seymour, then,’ said Giles.