Just now it was more
marked than usual.
"Show us!" they cried, gathering round him. Judy helped him to his
feet; he seemed a little unsteady. Purple with the exertion of the
search, both cheeks smeared with earth, neck-tie crooked, and old grey
shooting-coat half-way up his back, Come-Back Stumper stood upright,
and looked at them with shining eyes. He was the picture of a happy
and successful man.
"There!" he growled, and held out a hand, palm upwards, still
trembling with his recent exertions. "Didn't I tell you?"
They crowded round to examine a small object that lay between two
smears of earth in the centre of the upturned palm. It was round and
had a neat little opening on its under side. It was pretty, certainly.
Their heads pressed forward in a bunch, like cabbages heaped for
market. But no one spoke.
"See it?" said Stumper impatiently; "see what it is?" He bent forward
till his head mixed with theirs, his big aquiline nose in everybody's
way.
"We see it--yes," said Uncle Felix without enthusiasm. "It's a snail
shell--er--I believe?" The shade of disappointment in his voice was
reflected in the children's faces too, as they all straightened up and
gazed expectantly at the panting soldier.
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