screamed--

"Cyril! Come here! Oh, come quick--It's alive! It'll get away! Quick!"

They all hurried back.

"It's a rat, I shouldn't wonder," said Robert. "Father says they infest
old places--and this must be pretty old if the sea was here thousands of
years ago"--

"Perhaps it is a snake," said Jane, shuddering.

"Let's look," said Cyril, jumping into the hole. "I'm not afraid of
snakes. I like them. If it is a snake I'll tame it, and it will follow
me everywhere, and I'll let it sleep round my neck at night."

"No, you won't," said Robert firmly. He shared Cyril's bedroom. "But
you may if it's a rat."

[Illustration: Anthea suddenly screamed, "It's alive!"]

"Oh, don't be silly!" said Anthea; "it's not a rat, it's _much_ bigger.
And it's not a snake. It's got feet; I saw them; and fur! No--not the
spade. You'll hurt it! Dig with your hands."

"And let _it_ hurt _me_ instead! That's so likely, isn't it?" said
Cyril, seizing a spade.

"Oh, don't!" said Anthea. "Squirrel, _don't_. I--it sounds silly, but it
said something. It really and truly did"--