He meant "galleries," but had forgotten the word.

"Well, I don't care if there are five hundred stone walls, I guess the
men could drown all the same!" said Edith. "That water ought to be let
out, Nate Pollard! If the colonel is coming next week why don't they let
out the water this very day and give the place a chance to dry off."

She spoke in a tone of the gravest anxiety, as if she understood the
matter perfectly, and felt the whole care of the mine. Indeed, the mine
had become suddenly very interesting to all the children. It certainly
looked like a rough, wild, frightful hole; nothing more than a hole; but
if there were gold down there in "nuggets," why, that was quite another
matter; it became at once an enchanted hole; it was as delightful as a
fairy story.

"I hope it's true that they've sent for that colonel," said Kyzie.

"Of course it's true," replied Nate, who did not like to have his word
doubted.

"I s'pose there are buckets 'round here. Oh, aren't you glad we came to
Castle Cliff?" said Lucy, pirouetting around Jimmy.

"Bab will be glad, too," she thought. For Lucy never could look forward
to any pleasure without wishing her darling "niece" to share it with
her.

"Well, I guess we've seen everything there is to see," remarked Nate,
who had now told all he knew and was ready to go.

While they still wandered about, talking of "tailings" and "nuggets,"
they were startled by the peal of a bell.

"Twelve o'clock! Two minutes ahead of time though," said Nate, taking
from his pocket a handsome gold watch which Jimmy had always admired.

"What bell is that? Where is it?" they all asked. "And what is it
ringing for?"

"It's on top of the schoolhouse and it's ringing for noon. 'Twill ring
again in the evening at nine o'clock. But I can tell 'em they ought to
set it back two minutes."

"A nine o'clock bell? Why, that's a _curfew_ bell! How romantic!" cried
Kyzie. She had read of "the mellow lin-lan-lone of evening bells," but
had never heard it. "Let's go to the schoolhouse."

As luncheon at the Templeton House would not be served for an hour yet,
they kept on to the hollow where the schoolhouse stood. It was a small,
unpainted building in the shade of three pine trees.

"Just wait a minute right here," said Edith, the young artist,
unstrapping her kodak. "I want a snap-shot at it. Stand there by that
tree, Jimmum. Put your foot out just so. I wish you were barefooted!"

Just then, as if they ha