And everybody felt in the middle of
a delightful mystery. All were the same age together. Bird and butter,
sun and wind, flowers and children, tramp and animals--all seemed
merged in a jolly company that shared one another's wants and could
supply them. The wallflowers wagged their orange-bonneted heads, the
wind slipped sighing with delicious perfumes from the trees, the bees
were going home in single file, and the sun was sinking level with the
paling top--when suddenly there came a disturbing element into the
scene that made their hearts beat faster with one accord. It was a
sound.
A muffled, ominous beat was audible far away, but slowly coming
nearer. As it approached it changed its character. It became sharper
and more distinct. Something about the measured intervals between its
tapping repetitions brought a threatening message of alarm. Every one
felt the little warning and looked up. There was anxiety. The sound
jarred unpleasantly upon the peace of the happy company. They
listened. It was footsteps on the road outside.
CHAPTER X
FACT AND WONDER--CLASH
Uncle Felix paused over his last bit of bread and jam, Tim and Judy
cocked their ears up.
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