'Yes,' said the voice. 'You must hold me up, and speak the word
of power, and one by one, beginning with the first-born, you
shall pass through me into the Past. But let the last that
passes be the one that holds me, and let him not lose his hold,
lest you lose me, and so remain in the Past for ever.'

'That's a nasty idea,' said Robert.

'When you desire to return,' the beautiful voice went on, 'hold
me up towards the East, and speak the word. Then, passing
through me, you shall return to this time and it shall be the
present to you.'

'But how--' A bell rang loudly.

'Oh crikey!' exclaimed Robert, 'that's tea! Will you please make
it proper daylight again so that we can go down. And thank you
so much for all your kindness.'

'We've enjoyed ourselves very much indeed, thank you!' added
Anthea politely.

The beautiful light faded slowly. The great darkness and silence
came and these suddenly changed to the dazzlement of day and the
great soft, rustling sound of London, that is like some vast
beast turning over in its sleep.

The children rubbed their eyes, the Psammead ran quickly to its
sandy bath, and the others went down to tea. And until the cups