Pan did not come.
“What’s in those holes?” said Mark, pointing to some large rabbit-burrows on the right side of the quarry.
“Mummies,” said Bevis. “You may be sure there are mummies there, and very likely magic writings in their hands. I wish we could get a magic writing. Then we could do anything, and we could know all the secrets.”
“What secrets?”
“Why, all these things have secrets.”
“All?” said Mark.
“All,” said Bevis, looking round and pointing with an arrow in his hand. “All the trees, and all the stones, and all the flowers—”
“And these?” said Mark, picking up a shell.
“Yes, once; but can’t you see it is dead, and the secret, of course, is gone. If we had a magic writing.”
“Let’s buy a book,” said Mark.