The Story Of The Treasure Seekers Chapter 10: Bedtime Story

Hello,

Dear ones,

And welcome to today's reading,

The Story of the Treasure-Seekers by Edith Nesbitt.

Chapter 10 Lord Topham Oswald is a boy of firm and unswerving character,

And he had never wavered from his first idea.

He felt quite certain that the books were right,

And that the best way to restore fallen fortunes was to rescue an old gentleman in distress.

Then,

He brings you up as his own son.

But if you preferred to go on being your own father's son,

I expect the old gentleman would make it up to you in some other way.

In the books,

The least thing does it.

You put up the railway carriage window,

Or you pick up his purse when he drops it,

Or you say a hymn when he suddenly asks you to,

And then your fortune is made.

The others,

As I said,

Were very slack about it,

And did not seem to care much about trying the rescue.

They said there wasn't any deadly peril,

And that we should have to make one before we could rescue the old gentleman from it.

But Oswald didn't see that that mattered.

However,

He thought he would try some of the easier ways first,

By himself.

So,

He waited about the station,

Pulling up railway carriage windows for old gentleman,

Who looked likely,

But nothing happened,

And at last the porters said he was a nuisance.

So that was a no-go.

No one ever asked him to say a hymn,

Though he had learned a nice short one,

Beginning,

New Every Morning.

And when an old gentleman did drop a two-shilling piece,

Just by Ellis' The Hairdressers,

And Oswald picked it up,

And was just thinking what he could say when he returned it,

The old gentleman caught him by the collar,

And called him a young thief.

It would have been very unpleasant for Oswald if he hadn't happened to be a very brave boy,

And knew the policeman on that beat very well indeed.

So the policeman backed him up,

And the old gentleman said he was very sorry,

And offered Oswald sixpence.

Oswald refused it with polite disdain,

And nothing more happened at all.

When Oswald had tried by himself,

And it had not come off,

He said to the others,

We're wasting our time not trying to rescue the old gentleman in deadly peril.

Come on,

Buck up,

Let's do something.

It was dinner time,

And Pincher was going round getting the bits off the plates.

There was plenty,

Because it was cold mutton day,

And Ellis said,

It's only fair to try Oswald's way,

He has tried all the other things that we fought on,

So why couldn't we rescue Lord Topnum?

Lord Topnum is an old gentleman who walks over the heath every day,

In a paper collar at three o'clock,

And when he gets halfway,

If there is no one about,

He changes his collar,

And throws the dirty one into the first bushes.

Dickie said,

Lord Topnum's alright,

But where's the deadly peril?

And we couldn't think of any.

There are no highwaymen on Blackheath now,

I'm sorry to say,

And though Oswald said half of us could be highwaymen,

And the other half rescue party,

Dora kept on saying it would be wrong to be a highwayman,

And so we had to give that up.

Then Ellis said,

What about Pincher?

And we all saw at once that it could be done.

Pincher is very well bred,

And he does know one or two things,

Though we could never teach him to beg.

But,

If you tell him to hold on,

He will do it,

Even if you only say,

Seize him,

In a whisper.

So,

We arranged it all.

Dora said she wouldn't play,

She said she thought it was wrong,

And she knew it was silly,

So we left her out,

And she went and sat in the dining room with a goodie book,

So as to be able to say that she didn't have anything to do with it,

If we got into a row over it.

Ellis and Haycho were to hide in the first bushes,

Just by where Lord Topnum changes his collar,

And they were to whisper,

Seize him,

To Pincher.

And then,

When Pincher had seized Lord Topnum,

We were to go and rescue him from his deadly peril,

And he would say,

How can I reward you,

My noble young preservers,

And it would be all right.

So,

We went up to the heath.

We were afraid of being late.

Oswald told the others what procrastination was,

So they got to the first bushes a little after two o'clock,

And it was rather cold.

Ellis and Haycho and Pincher hid,

But Pincher did not like it any more than they did,

And as we three walked up and down,

We heard him whining.

And Ellis kept saying,

I am so cold.

Isn't he coming yet?

And Haycho wanted to come out and jump about to warm himself up,

But we told him he must learn to be a Spartan boy,

And that he ought to be very thankful that he hasn't got a beastly fox eating his insides all the time.

Haycho is our little brother,

And we are not going to let it be our fault if he grows up to be a milksop.

Besides,

It was not really cold.

It was his knees.

He wears socks,

So they stayed where they were.

And at last,

When even the other three who were walking about were beginning to feel rather chilly,

We saw Lord Topnum's big black cloak coming along,

Slapping in the wind like a great bird.

So we said to Ellis,

Shh,

He's approaching.

You'll know when to set Pinch on him by hearing Lord Topnum talking to himself.

He always does whilst he's taking off his collar.

Then we three walked slowly away,

Whistling to show that we were not thinking of anything.

Our lips were rather cold,

But we managed to do it.

Lord Topnum came striding along,

Talking to himself.

People call him the mad protectionist.

I don't know what it means,

And I don't think people ought to call a lord such names.

As he passed us,

He said,

Ruin of the country,

Sir.

Fatal error,

Fatal error.

And then we looked back and saw he was getting quite near where Pincha was,

And Ellis and Haycho.

We walked on so that he shouldn't think that we were looking,

And in a minute we heard Pincha's bark,

And then nothing for a bit.

And then we looked round,

And sure enough,

Good old Pincha had got Lord Topnum by the trouser leg and was holding on like a billy ho,

So we started to run.

Lord Topnum had got his collar half off,

It was sticking out sideways under his ear,

And he was shouting,

Help,

Help,

Murder.

Exactly as if someone had explained to him beforehand what he was to do.

Pincha was growling and snarling and holding on.

When we got to him,

I stopped and said,

Dickie,

We must rescue this good old man.

Lord Topnum roared in his fury.

Good old man,

Call the dog off,

So Oswald said.

It's a dangerous task,

But who would hesitate to do an act of true bravery?

And all the while Pincha was worrying and snarling,

And Lord Topnum shouting to us to get the dog away from him,

He was dancing about in the road,

With Pincha hanging on like grim death,

And his collar slapping about where it was undone.

Then Noel said,

Ere,

Yet it be too late.

So I said to Lord Topnum,

Stand still,

Aged sir,

And I will endeavour to alleviate your distress.

He stood still,

And I stooped down and caught hold of Pincha,

And whispered,

Drop it,

Drop it.

So then Pincha dropped it,

And Lord Topnum fastened his collar again.

He never does change it if anyone is looking.

And he said,

I'm much obliged,

I'm sure.

Nasty,

Vicious brute.

Here's something to drink to my health.

But Dickie explained that we are teetotalers,

And do not drink to people's healths.

So Lord Topnum said,

Well,

I'm very much obliged anyway.

And now I come to look at you,

Of course.

You're not young ruffians,

But gentleman's sons,

Eh?

Still,

You won't be above taking a tip from an old boy,

Will you?

I wasn't when I was your age.

And he pulled out half a sovereign.

It was very silly,

But now that we'd done it,

I felt it would be beastly mean to take the old boy's chink after putting him in such a funk in the first place.

He didn't say anything about bringing us up as his own sons,

So I didn't know what to do.

I let Pincha go,

And was just going to say that he was very welcome,

And we'd rather not have the money,

Which seemed the best way out of it,

When that beastly dog spoiled the whole show.

Directly,

I let him go.

He began to jump about us and bark for joy,

And try to lick our faces.

He was so proud of what he'd done.

Lord Topnum opened his eyes and said,

The dog seems to know you.

And then Oswald saw it was all up,

And he said,

Good morning,

And tried to get away.

But Lord Topnum said,

Not so fast,

And he caught Knoll by the collar.

Knoll gave a howl,

And Alice ran out from the bushes.

Knoll is her favourite brother.

I'm sure I don't know why.

Lord Topnum looked at her,

And he said,

So,

There are more of you,

Are there?

And then H.

O.

Came out.

And do you complete the party?

Lord Topnum asked him,

And H.

O.

Said there were only five of us this time.

Lord Topnum turned sharp off and began to walk away,

Holding Knoll by the collar.

We caught up with him,

And asked him where he was going,

And he said,

To the police station.

So then I said,

Quite politely,

Well,

Don't take Knoll,

He's not very strong,

And he easily gets upset.

Besides,

It wasn't Knoll's doing.

If you want to take anyone,

Take me.

It was my very own idea.

Dickie behaved very well.

He said,

If you take Oswald,

I'll go too.

But don't take Knoll,

He's such a delicate little chap.

Lord Topnum stopped,

And he said,

You should have thought of that before.

Knoll was howling all the time,

And his face was very white.

And Alice said,

Oh,

Do let Knoll go,

Dear,

Good,

Kind Lord Topnum.

He'll faint if you don't,

I know he will,

He does sometimes.

Oh,

I wish we'd never done it,

Dora said it was wrong.

Well,

Dora displayed considerable common sense,

Said Lord Topnum,

And he let Knoll go.

And Alice put her arm around Knoll,

And tried to cheer him up.

But he was all trembly,

And he was as white as paper.

Then Lord Topnum said,

Will you give me your word of honour,

Not to try to escape?

So we said we would.

Okay,

Then follow me.

He said,

And led the way to a bench.

We all followed,

And Pincher too,

With his tail between his legs.

He knew something was wrong.

Then Lord Topnum sat down,

And he made Oswald and Dickie and H.

O.

Stand in front of him.

But he let Alice and Knoll sit down.

And he said,

You set your dog on me,

And you tried to make me believe that you were saving me from it.

And you would have taken my half-sovereign.

Such conduct is most.

.

.

No,

You shall tell me what it is,

Sir,

And speak the truth.

So I had to say it was most ungentlemanly,

But I said I hadn't been going to take the half-sovereign.

Then what did you do it for?

He asked.

The truth now,

Mind.

So I said,

I see now that it was very silly,

And Doris said it was wrong,

But it didn't seem so until we did it.

We wanted to restore the fallen fortunes of our house,

And in the books,

If you rescue an old gentleman from deadly peril,

He brings you up as his own son.

Or if you prefer to be your father's son,

He starts you in business,

So that you end in wealthy affluence.

And there wasn't any deadly peril,

So we made Pincher into one.

And I was so ashamed that I couldn't go on,

For it did seem an awfully mean thing to do.

Lord Topham said,

A very nice way to make your fortune,

By deceit and trickery.

I have a horror of dogs.

If I'd been a weak man,

The shock might have killed me.

What do you think of yourselves,

Eh?

We were all crying,

Except for Oswald,

Although the others say he was,

And Lord Topham went on.

Well,

I see you are sorry,

So let this be a lesson to you,

And we'll say no more about it.

I'm an old man now,

But I was young once.

Then Alice slid along the bench close to him,

And put her hand on his arm.

Her fingers were pink through the holes in her woolly gloves,

And said,

I think you are very good to forgive us,

And we really are very,

Very sorry.

But we wanted to be like the children in the books,

Only we never have the chances that they have.

Everything they do turns out all right.

We are sorry,

Very,

Very sorry.

And I know Oswald wasn't going to take the half-sovereign.

Directly you said that about a tip from the old boy.

I began to feel bad inside,

And I whispered to H.

O.

That I wish we hadn't done it.

Then Lord Topham stood up,

And he looked like the death of Nelson,

For he is clean shaved,

And it is a good face.

And he said,

Always remember never to do a dishonourable thing,

For money,

Or for anything else in the world.

And we promised that we would remember.

Then he took off his hat,

And we took off ours,

And he went away,

And we went home.

I never felt so cheap in all of my life.

Dora said,

I told you so.

But we didn't even mind that so much,

Though it was indeed hard to hear.

It was what Lord Topham had said about being ungentlemanly.

We didn't go on to the heath for a week after that,

But at last we all went,

And we waited for him by the bench.

When he came along,

Alice said,

Please,

Lord Topham,

We have not been on the heath for a week,

To be a punishment because you let us off.

And we have brought you a present each,

If you will take them,

To show that you are willing to make it up.

He sat down on the bench,

And we gave him our presents.

Oswald gave him a six-penny compass.

He bought it with my own money.

Oswald always buys useful presents.

Dickie gave him his prize,

Naval heroes,

Because it was the best thing he had.

And Noam gave him a piece of poetry that he had made himself.

When sin and shame bow down the brow,

Then people feel just like we do now.

We are so sorry with grief and pain.

We never will be so ungentlemanly again.

Lord Topham seemed very pleased.

He thanked us and talked to us for a bit,

And when he said goodbye,

He said,

All's fair weather now,

Mateys,

And shook our hands.

And whenever we meet him,

He nods to us,

And if the girls are with us,

He takes off his hat,

So he can't really be going on thinking us ungentlemanly now.