CHAPTER IX
FATHER WILLIAM’S STORY
“Go cautiously, surround him, don’t let him get away,” said Minora.
But, instead of trying to get away. Father William walked to meet them, and seemed pleased to see them. He nodded to Minora quite amiably.
“Better, I hope,” he said, “sorry I couldn’t oblige you, but I was in a hurry, you know—important business.”
Then he turned to Lucy, “Ah, they told me you had mysteriously disappeared, and I guessed you had managed to get out of Nonsense Land, so I thought I would look you up, and we could go back to Rhyme Land together. But I’m afraid I interrupt. Who are these two young gentlemen?”
Thirteen-fourteenths had been trying to keep quiet, but he could not hold his tongue a minute longer.
“The book!” he shouted; he was too excited to speak. “The book, where is the book?”
“Oh, it’s all right,” said Father William, “keep calm, my young friend, the great thing is to keep calm. In my youth”
Lucy came to the rescue.
“Dear Father William,” she said, “you don’t know how very badly we all want to get that book.”
“It seems quite a popular work,” said Father William.
“It has done so much harm,” said Lucy. “Dear Father William, did you get it for me?”
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