China and Japan were too much photographed, but the East was
vague and marvellous, the beginning of all things, "Camel-distant," as
they phrased it, with Great Asia upon its magical frontiers. For Asia,
being equally unphotographed, still shimmered with uncommon qualities.
But, chiefly, it was a vast hole where travellers disappeared and left
no trace; and to leave no trace was simply horrible.
"The easier you go the less chance there is," maintained Judy. She
said this straight into the paper that screened her uncle's face--
without the smallest result of any kind whatsoever. Then Tim recalled
something that Colonel Stumper had said once, and let fly with it,
aiming his voice beneath the paper's edge.
"East is east," he announced with considerable violence, but might as
well have declared that it was south for all the response obtained. It
was very odd, he thought; his Uncle's mind must be awfully full of
something. For he remembered Come-Back Stumper saying the same thing
once to Daddy at the end of a frightful argument about missionaries
and idols, and Daddy had been unable to find any reply at all. Yet
Uncle Felix did not stir a finger even.
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