the others I'm here--but tell them to look at some of those low,
common beasts while I'm talking to you. The creature inside
mustn't think you care much about me, or he'll put a price upon
me far, far beyond your means. I remember in the dear old days
last summer you never had much money. Oh--I never thought I
should be so glad to see you--I never did.' It sniffed, and shot
out its long snail's eyes expressly to drop a tear well away from
its fur. 'Tell the others I'm here, and then I'll tell you
exactly what to do about buying me.' Cyril tied his bootlace
into a hard knot, stood up and addressed the others in firm
tones--

'Look here,' he said, 'I'm not kidding--and I appeal to your
honour,' an appeal which in this family was never made in vain.
'Don't look at that hutch--look at the white rat. Now you are
not to look at that hutch whatever I say.'

He stood in front of it to prevent mistakes.

'Now get yourselves ready for a great surprise. In that hutch
there's an old friend of ours--DON'T look!--Yes; it's the
Psammead, the good old Psammead! it wants us to buy it. It says
you're not to look at it. Look at the white rat and count your
money! On your honour don't look!'

The others responded nobly. They looked at the white rat till
they quite stared him out of countenance, so that he went and sat
up on his hind legs in a far corner and hid his eyes with his
front paws, and pretended he was washing his face.