"That's a bad omen, but wait a bit! Stick it back in the pack and we'll see where it comes. Oh, this is better now-a dark woman is going to bring you trouble, but a fair man will come to the rescue and help you out. You're going amongst a number of people, but the general result will be fortunate. I see a number of diamonds, which means that prizes are in store for you." "We don't have prizes at Easter! Is that all?" "All that the cards tell me, but I'll do a little crystal-gazing if you like!" and Clive seized a glass paperweight, and, staring intently at it, pretended to throw himself into a state of abstraction. "I see an examination-room!" he declared. "I see rows of desks, and girls writing at them. There are lists of questions. I am peeping over their shoulders, and they are puzzling about the products of Java and Borneo, and the life and works of William Cowper, and the Keltic words in the English language. You and Mavis are scribbling ahead for all you're worth." "A very pretty picture, I'm sure! Can't you tell us some more?" "Alas! The crystal has grown milky." "And it's your bedtime!" said Mavis. "I expect you were on your way upstairs when you came in here. Confess!" "There's no hurry. I'll stay and tell yours too if you like." "No, thanks. This will do for both of us. Is Mother in the drawing-room? Come along, Merle, we won't work any more to-night." "Oh, I must just look up what was it?--the products of Java and Borneo, and William Cowper, and Keltic words. There's luck in them! Just for five minutes! Get off to bed, you kid, and leave me to work." Rather reluctantly Mavis fell in with her sister's humour and reopened her text-books. "Clive's only fooling!" she remonstrated. "I know; and so am I! Here we are--Keltic words in use in the English language. You can squint over my shoulder if you like." The five minutes lengthened out till Mrs. Ramsay came herself and put a finish to the preparation. "It's silly to overdo it. You'll only have headaches to-morrow and be able to remember nothing. Come along to the drawing-room and sing to Father." "Yes, Mummie darling, I'm just strapping up my books. There, I'll leave them here on the hall-table. I promise you I won't take them upstairs. Hello! Here's my jersey! I was hunting for it everywhere after tea and couldn't find it. It feels wet! How funny! Has anybody been out in it?" "Give it to Alice and ask her to put it by the kitchen fire to dry. Father wants to hear that Devon folksong you're learning. It will do you good to have a little music after such hard brain-work." Merle marched into school next morning joking about her fortune. She told the girls what the oracle had said, and how she had ground up those particular bits of information. "I'm sporting enough to give you the tip!" she laughed. "Clive was only making fun and ragging us!" qualified Mavis. "He's a silly boy."