He still wouldn't tell me what this Great Idea was, but when I reached home that evening a thought suddenly struck me. I went in search of Molly, caught sight of her sitting on the top branch of the walnut tree, and shouted for her to come down. She descended slowly and carefully. "You shouldn't have gone up there," I said. "It is very dangerous. I thought you couldn't climb the walnut tree." "Nor did I, till I tried hard, Daddy." "How often have you done this?" "Only twice. I thought the monkey might have built a nest." I dared not tell her of its present abode in case she began clamoring for its return. So I asked, innocently: "And had he?" "I don't think so. But it was fun up there! I wish you'd come, Daddy. Gran'pa says _he_ will when he's got those new glands." "That reminds me," I said. "Has he told you anything about what he intends doing when he has the glands? I mean anything more important than just climbing trees." Molly looked down in pensive consideration. She had evidently been caught unawares. "Out with it, my child!" "Daddy--I can't!" "Why not?" "Because I promised Gran'pa I wouldn't tell. He made me swear, like this." She moistened her right forefinger with the tip of her tongue and drew an imaginary cross in front of her throat and chest. (The wicked old sinner, intimidating my twelve-year-old offspring in this manner!) "Are we all in this--little adventure?" I persisted. She held her lips tightly together and stared at me in mute appeal. Evidently we _were_ all in it! Her eyes shone and I could see that she would have gloried in telling me. Nevertheless, for her oath's sake, I pressed her no further. "It's all very, very mysterious," I murmured. "Never mind, Daddy," she whispered. "You'll soon know all about it!" It was very good of her to try and soothe my wounded feelings thus, and I felt more determined than ever to hasten that operation on Gran'pa and reap the rich reward which was apparently awaiting all three of us. Far too much time had already been wasted. To Gran'pa it may have represented only one little negligible week in a life of nearly a hundred years, but to me it seemed ages since my enthusiasm had been first awakened. I was eager to complete the contract, to handle that five thousand dollars, to witness the rejuvenation of my aged ancestor-in-law, and, above all, to escape from my Government prison into the great wide spaces of the earth. As if in answer to my wild desires, Gran'pa came out and joined us in the garden, waving a letter aloft in childish glee. "Just come by post, George!" he cried. "What has?" "A note from that man with the gorilla. He wants us to go round and see it this evening."