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for a second； a silence； more deadly than all the earlier havoc。
Jeremy felt that God had leapt upon him。 He opened his eyes； turned
as though to run； and then saw； with a freezing check upon the very
beat of his heart； that Hamlet was gone。
V
There was no Hamlet！
In that second of frantic unreasoning terror he received a
conviction of God that no rationalistic training in later years was
able to remove。
There was no Hamlet！only the dusky dirty place with a black
torrent…driven world beyond it。 With a rush as of a thousand whips
slashing the air； the rain came down upon the glass。 Jeremy turned；
crying 〃Mother！ Mother！ I want Mother！〃 and flung himself at the red
glass doors； fumbling in his terror for the handle； he felt as
though the end of the world had come； such a panic had seized him as
only belongs to the most desperate of nightmares。 God had answered
him。 Hamlet was gone and in a moment Jeremy himself might be
seized 。 。 。
He felt frantically for the door； he beat upon the glass。
He cried 〃Mother！ Mother！ Mother！〃
He had found the door； but just as he turned the handle he was aware
of a new sound； heard distantly； through the rain。 Looking back he
saw； from behind a rampart of dusty flower…pots； first a head； then
a rough tousled body； then a tail that might be recognised amongst
all the tails of Christendom。
Hamlet （who had trained himself to meet with a fine natural show of
bravery every possible violence save only thunder） crept ashamed；
dirty and smiling towards his master。 God had only played His trick…
…Abraham and Isaac after all。
Then with a fine sense of victory and defiance Jeremy turned back；
looked up at the slashing rain； gazed out upon the black country； at
last seized Hamlet and dragging him out by his hind…legs； knelt
there in the dust and suffered himself to be licked until his face
was as though a snail had crossed over it。
The thunder passed。 Blue pushed up into the grey。 A cool air blew
through the world。
Nevertheless； deep in his heart； the terror remained。 In that moment
he had met God face to face； he had delivered his first challenge。
P。S。To the incredulous and cynical of heart authoritative evidence
can be shown to prove that it was on the evening of that Sunday that
Mrs。 Cole turned the corner towards recovery。
CHAPTER VIII
TO COW FARM！
I
This next episode in Jeremy's year has； be it thoroughly understood；
no plot nor climax to itit is simply the chronicle of an Odyssey。
Nor can it be said to have been anything but a very ordinary Odyssey
to the outside observer who； if he be a parent； will tell you that
going to the seaside with the family is the most bothering thing in
the world； and if he is a bachelor or old maid will tell you that
being in the same carriage with other people's children who are
going to the sea is an abominable business and the Law ought to have
something to say to it。
All through May； June and July Mrs。 Cole slowly pulled back to
something like her natural health。 The new infant； Barbara by name；
was as strong as a pony； and kicked and screamed and roared so that
the house was quite a new place。 Her arrival had done a great deal
for Helen； whose gaze had hitherto been concentrated entirely upon
herself； now she suddenly discovered a new element in life； and it
was found that she was 〃ideal with a baby〃 and 〃a great help to
nurse。〃 This made her more human； and Barbara； realising as babies
always do who understands and who does not； would behave with Helen
when she would behave with no one else。 Mary could not be expected
to transfer her allegiance from Jeremy； and then Barbara was
frightened at her spectacles； Jeremy； having Hamlet； did not need a
baby！
There came a fine hot morning towards the end of July when Miss
Jones said； suddenly； in the middle of the history lesson： 〃Saturday
week we go to Rafiel。〃 Jeremy choked； kicked Mary under the table；
and was generally impossible during the rest of the morning。 It was
Miss Jones's fault； she should have chosen her occasion more
carefully。 Before the evening Jeremy was standing in the corner for
drawing on his bedroom wall…paper enormous figures in the blackest
of black lead。 These were to mark the days that remained before
Saturday week； and it was； Jeremy maintained； a perfectly natural
thing to do and didn't hurt the old wall…paper which was dirty
enough anyway； and Mother had said； long ago； he should have a new
one。
Meanwhile； impossible to describe what Jeremy felt about it。 Each
year Cow Farm and Rafiel had grown more wonderful； this was now the
fifth that would welcome them there。 At first the horizon had been
limited by physical incapacity； then the third year had been rainy；
and the fourthah； the fourth！ There had been very little the
matter with that！ But this would be better yet。 For one thing； there
had never been such a summer as this year was providinga little
rain at night； a little breeze at the hottest hour of the day
everything arranged on purpose for Jeremy's comfort。 And then；
although he did not know it； this was to be truly the wonderful
summer for him； because after this he would be a schoolboy and； as
is well known； schoolboys believe in nothing save what they can see
with their own eyes and are told by other boys physically stronger
than themselves。
Five or six days before the great departure he began to worry
himself about his box。 Two years ago he had been given a little
imitation green canvas luggage box exactly like his father's； except
that this one was light enough to carry in one's hand。 Jeremy adored
this box and would have taken it out with him； had he been
permitted； on all his walks； but he had a way of filling it with
heavy stones and then asking Miss Jones to carry it for him； it had
therefore been forbidden。
But he would； of course； take it with him to Cow Farm； and it should
contain all the things that he loved best。 At first 〃all the things
that he loved best〃 had not seemed so very numerous。 There would；
first of all； of course； be the Hottentot； a black and battered
clown for whom he had long ceased to feel any affection； but he was
compelled by an irritating sense of loyalty to include it in the
party just as his mother might include some tiresome old maid
〃because she had nowhere to go to； poor thing。〃 After the Hottentot
there would be his paint…box； after the paint… box a blue writing…
case； after the writing…case the family photographs （Father； Mother；
Mary and Helen）； after the photographs a toy pistol； after the
pistol Hamlet's ball （a worsted affair rendered by now shapeless and
incoherent）； after the ball 〃Alice in Wonderland〃 （Mary's copy； but
she didn't know）； after 〃Alice；〃 〃Herr Baby；〃 after 〃Herr Baby〃 the
Prayer Book that Aunt Amy gave him last birthday； after the Prayer
Book some dried flowers which were to be presented to Mrs。 Monk； the
lady of Cow Farm （this might be called carrying coals to Newcastle）；
after the flowers a Bible； after the Bible four walnuts （very dry
and hard ones）； after the walnuts some transfer papers； after the
transfer papers six marblesthe box was full and more than