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of the High Street； the champing of bits and the pawing of gravel
summoned us to take our seats and be off； to where the real performance
awaited us； compared with which all this was but an interlude。 I placed
the Princess in the most highly gilded coach of the lot； and mounted to my
place at her side； and the rest of the crew scrambled on board of the others
as best they might。 The whips cracked and the crowd scattered and
cheered as we broke into a gallop for home。 The noisy bells burst into a
farewell peal
Yes； that was undoubtedly the usual bell for school…room tea。 And
high time too； I thought； as I tumbled out of the bath； which was beginning
to feel very hard to the projecting portions of my frame…work。 As I
trotted downstairs； hungrier even than usual； farewells floated up from the
front door； and I heard the departing voices of our angular elderly visitors
as they made their way down the walk。 Man was still catching it；
apparently Man was getting it hot。 And much Man cared！ The seas
were his； and their islands； he had his frigates for the taking； his pirates
and their hoards for an unregarded cutlass…stroke or two； and there were
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Princesses in plenty waiting for him somewhere Princesses of the right
sort。
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DREAM DAYS
THE RELUCTANT DRAGON
Footprints in the snow have been unfailing provokers of sentiment
ever since snow was first a white wonder in this drab…coloured world of
ours。 In a poetry…book presented to one of us by an aunt； there was a
poem by one Wordsworth in which they stood out stronglywith a picture
all to themselves； toobut we didn't think very highly either of the poem
or the sentiment。 Footprints in the sand； now； were quite another matter；
and we grasped Crusoe's attitude of mind much more easily than
Wordsworth's。 Excitement and mystery； curiosity and suspense these
were the only sentiments that tracks； whether in sand or in snow； were able
to arouse in us。
We had awakened early that winter morning； puzzled at first by the
added light that filled the room。 Then； when the truth at last fully
dawned on us and we knew that snow…balling was no longer a wistful
dream； but a solid certainty waiting for us outside； it was a mere brute
fight for the necessary clothes； and the lacing of boots seemed a clumsy
invention； and the buttoning of coats an unduly tedious form of fastening；
with all that snow going to waste at our very door。
When dinner…time came we had to be dragged in by the scruff of our
necks。 The short armistice over； the combat was resumed； but presently
Charlotte and I； a little weary of contests and of missiles that ran
shudderingly down inside one's clothes； forsook the trampled battle…field
of the lawn and went exploring the blank virgin spaces of the white world
that lay beyond。 It stretched away unbroken on every side of us； this
mysterious soft garment under which our familiar world had so suddenly
hidden itself。 Faint imprints showed where a casual bird had alighted；
but of other traffic there was next to no sign； which made these strange
tracks all the more puzzling。
We came across them first at the corner of the shrubbery； and pored
over them long； our hands on our knees。 Experienced trappers that we
knew ourselves to be； it was annoying to be brought up suddenly by a
beast we could not at once identify。
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DREAM DAYS
〃Don't you know？〃 said Charlotte； rather scornfully。 〃Thought you
knew all the beasts that ever was。〃
This put me on my mettle； and I hastily rattled off a string of animal
names embracing both the arctic and the tropic zones； but without much
real confidence。
〃No；〃 said Charlotte； on consideration； 〃they won't any of 'em quite do。
Seems like something LIZARDY。 Did you say a iguanodon？ Might be
that； p'raps。 But that's not British； and we want a real British beast。 _I_
think it's a dragon！〃
〃'T isn't half big enough；〃 I objected。
〃Well； all dragons must be small to begin with；〃 said Charlotte： 〃like
everything else。 P'raps this is a little dragon who's got lost。 A little
dragon would be rather nice to have。 He might scratch and spit； but he
couldn't DO anything really。 Let's track him down！〃
So we set off into the wide snow…clad world； hand in hand； our hearts
big with expectation；complacently confident that by a few smudgy traces
in the snow we were in a fair way to capture a half…grown specimen of a
fabulous beast。
We ran the monster across the paddock and along the hedge of the next
field； and then he took to the road like any tame civilized tax…payer。 Here
his tracks became blended with and lost among more ordinary footprints；
but imagination and a fixed idea will do a great deal； and we were sure we
knew the direction a dragon would naturally take。 The traces； too； kept
reappearing at intervalsat least Charlotte maintained they did； and as it
was HER dragon I left the following of the slot to her and trotted along
peacefully； feeling that it was an expedition anyhow and something was
sure to come out of it。
Charlotte took me across another field or two； and through a copse；
and into a fresh road； and I began to feel sure it was only her confounded
pride that made her go on pretending to see dragon…tracks instead of
owning she was entirely at fault； like a reasonable person。 At last she
dragged me excitedly through a gap in a hedge of an obviously private
character； the waste； open world of field and hedge…row disappeared； and
we found ourselves in a garden； well…kept； secluded； most un…dragon…
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haunted in appearance。 Once inside； I knew where we were。 This was
the garden of my fr