'Ah, the brook was deeper and wider when my children played at Danish
pirates. Are you pirate-folk?'

'Oh no. We gave up being pirates years ago,' explained Una. 'We're
nearly always explorers now. Sailing round the world, you know.'

'Round?' said Sir Richard. He sat him in the comfortable crotch of an
old ash-root on the bank. 'How can it be round?'

'Wasn't it in your books?' Dan suggested. He had been doing geography at
his last lesson.

'I can neither write nor read,' he replied. 'Canst _thou_ read, child?'

'Yes,' said Dan, 'barring the very long words.'

'Wonderful! Read to me, that I may hear for myself.'

Dan flushed, but opened the book and began--gabbling a little--at 'The
Discoverer of the North Cape.'

'Othere, the old sea-captain,
Who dwelt in Helgoland,
To King Alfred, the lover of truth,
Brought a snow-white walrus tooth,
That he held in his brown right hand.'

'But--but--this I know! This is an old song! This I have heard sung!
This is a miracle,' Sir Richard interrupted. 'Nay, do not stop!' He