"We live as long as we are let," said he, "and we get
the health we deserve. Your salutation embodies a re-
flection on death which is not philosophic. We must
acquiesce in all logical progressions. The merging of
opposites is completion. Life runs to death as to its
goal, and we should go towards that next stage of experi-
ence either carelessly as to what must be, or with a good,
honest curiosity as to what may be."

"There's not much fun in being dead, sir," said Mee-
hawl.

"How do you know?" said the Philosopher.

"I know well enough," replied Meehawl.

CHAPTER VIII

WHEN the children leaped into the hole at the foot of
the tree they found themselves sliding down a dark, nar-
row slant which dropped them softly enough into a little
room. This room was hollowed out immediately under
the tree, and great care had been taken not to disturb any
of the roots which ran here and there through the cham-
ber in the strangest criss-cross, twisted fashion. To get
across such a place one had to walk round, and jump
over, and duck under perpetually. Some of the roots
had formed themselves very conveniently into low seats
and narrow, uneven tables, and at the bottom all the