whistle and ended with
another. There were even prizes--large, rather dirty paper parcels which
the lady-help with a sour little smile drew out of a bulging string
kit. The Samuel Josephs fought fearfully for the prizes and cheated and
pinched one another's arms--they were all expert pinchers. The only time
the Burnell children ever played with them Kezia had got a prize,
and when she undid three bits of paper she found a very small rusty
button-hook. She couldn't understand why they made such a fuss....

But they never played with the Samuel Josephs now or even went to their
parties. The Samuel Josephs were always giving children's parties at
the Bay and there was always the same food. A big washhand basin of
very brown fruit-salad, buns cut into four and a washhand jug full of
something the lady-help called "Limonadear." And you went away in the
evening with half the frill torn off your frock or something spilled all
down the front of your open-work pinafore, leaving the Samuel Josephs
leaping like savages on their lawn. No! They were too awful.

On the other side of the beach, close down to the water, two little
boys, their knickers rolled up, twinkled like spiders. One was digging,
the other pattered in and out of the water, filling a small bucket. They
were the Trout boys, Pip and Rags. But Pip was so busy digging and Rags
was so busy helping that they didn't see their little cousins until they
were quite close.

"Look!" said Pip. "Look what I've discovered." And he showed them an old
wet, squashed-looking boot. The three little girls stared.

"Whatever are you going to do with it?" asked Kezia.

"Keep it, of course!" Pip was very scornful. "It's a find--see?"

Yes, Kezia saw that. All the same....

"There's lots of things buried in the sand," explained Pip. "They get
chucked up from wrecks. Treasure. Why--you might find--"

"But why does Rags have to keep on pouring water in?" asked Lottie.

"Oh, that's to moisten it," said Pip, "to make the work a bit easier.
Keep it up, Rags."

And good little Rags ran up and down, pouring in the water that turned
brown like cocoa.

"Here, shall I show you what I found yesterday?" said Pip mysteriously,
and he stuck his spade into the sand. "Promise not to tell."

They promised.

"Say, cross my heart straight dinkum."

The little girls said it.

Pip took something out of his pocket, rubbed it a long time on the front
of his jersey, then breathed on it and rubbe