hand and touch me?

Come carefully, and then both of you get as far away as you can while I jump.

' She felt his fingers brush her shoe a moment later and heard the children creeping away.

"I'm coming now," she called, and jumped.

She landed on a pile of rubbish which slipped and slithered away from her feet as she scrambled upright.

"Can you come over here?

' She was ashamed of her shaky voice.

"T think it would be better if we kept together, but first I'm going to

explore a bit.

' The children reached her and she touched them rea.s.suringly before making her way inch by inch away from them. Once or twice she tripped over piles of stone and bricks and twice she found herself up to her ankles in water.

She remembered that a great many houses were built on piles driven into the water; perhaps the piles were giving way. . . as though to answer her thought the ground shifted under her feet and there was a wet, sucking sound and the rattle of stones falling into water.

She tried not to hurry back to where the children were, panic catching at her throat that even in that small s.p.a.ce she might put a foot wrong and go the way of the stones.

The children's hands were cold but somehow welcoming.

Alethea put an arm round each of their shoulders and said cheerfully:

"Well, here we are, I don't think we had better move, it's a bit wet here and there.

What shall we talk about while we're waiting?

' "Will Papa be long?

' asked Jacomina, and gave a great sob.

"T don't know, my dear, but he'll come I'm sure of that.

' And she was.

Sarel's voice had changed; it was friendly.

"T think he'll come too.

It's our fault, Alethea we came here on purpose, we wanted you to come

and we were going to lock you in just for a little while.

I I'm sorry, and so's Jacomina, you mustn't be angry with her.

She's always liked you and I think I did too, only I didn't want to, so

we pretended we hated you.

' Alethea squeezed his shoulders.

"I'm not angry with either of you," she a.s.sured him warmly.

"T used to play pranks when I was a little girl, and this is only a

prank.

' "No, not really, but it's nice of you to say so.

' His voice was very earnest and put her in mind of Sarre.

"You're sure Papa will come?

' "Positive.

' She had read somewhere that if one thought hard enough about someone

they would think about you.

Well, she was thinking very hard about Sarre and miracles happened.

Jacomina began to cry and Alethea bent down and kissed her.

"Let's talk," she said hearteningly.

"Let's talk about Christmas and what we'll do then and the presents

we'll buy, and I'll tell you about the hospital.

' She had a momentary picture of Nick; what would he have done in such a situation?

she wondered, and found that she didn't care in the very least.

She took a deep steadying breath.

It was beastly down there in the dark, but at least the children were

safe and she was absolutely certain that Sarre would come.

She began to tell the children just how an English Christmas pudding was made.

CHAPTER NINE.

she had lost all count of time when Sarre's voice, calm, almost placid, said from somewhere above them: "T'll have Jacomina first--lift her up as high as you can, Alethea, and you, liefje, put your arms above your head so that I can catch your hands.

' He waited while Alethea, dumb with relief and happiness at the sound

of his voice, got cautiously to her feet and lifted the little girl.

It was difficult for the rubble underfoot shifted to and fro with every movement and Jacomina was quite heavy, but she managed it at last and felt her weight lifted from her aching arms as Sarre lifted his daughter to safety.

"And now Sarel.

' A cold hand came out of the dark and clutched at Alethea's.

"Papa, I will go last--it is not kind to leave Alethea here alone in

the dark; she's a girl.

' Alethea gave the hand a squeeze.

The conditions were hardly ideal in which to make friends, but they

seemed to have managed it.

Sarre's voice was unhurried.

"Spoken like a man, Sarel, but I need you up here to look after

Jacomina--she's scared.

' Alethea spoke carefully from a mouth dry with fear.

"Yes, your papa's right, Sarel, and Jacomina always does as you say.

' 197 The sweaty little hand returned her squeeze and withdrew.

"I'm heavy.

' "Isn't it lucky I'm tall?

' she rea.s.sured him, and steadied herself on the rubble once more and

braced herself to lift him.