"Well, I guess we've seen everything there is to see," remarked Nate,
who had now told all he knew and was ready to go.

While they still wandered about, talking of "tailings" and "nuggets,"
they were startled by the peal of a bell.

"Twelve o'clock! Two minutes ahead of time though," said Nate, taking
from his pocket a handsome gold watch which Jimmy had always admired.

"What bell is that? Where is it?" they all asked. "And what is it
ringing for?"

"It's on top of the schoolhouse and it's ringing for noon. 'Twill ring
again in the evening at nine o'clock. But I can tell 'em they ought to
set it back two minutes."

"A nine o'clock bell? Why, that's a _curfew_ bell! How romantic!" cried
Kyzie. She had read of "the mellow lin-lan-lone of evening bells," but
had never heard it. "Let's go to the schoolhouse."

As luncheon at the Templeton House would not be served for an hour yet,
they kept on to the hollow where the schoolhouse stood. It was a small,
unpainted building in the shade of three pine trees.

"Just wait a minute right here," said Edith, the young artist,
unstrapping her kodak. "I want a snap-shot at it. Stand there by that
tree, Jimmum. Put your foot out just so. I wish you were barefooted!"

Just then, as if they had overheard the wish, two little boys came