CHAPTER XIV.
GUESSWORK.
"But," said the captain, at length, "you haven't guessed yet what I
have for you."
"Sure enough!" cried Hope, suddenly sitting upright. "Is it a sari for
each, or a fez, or--"
"Or a pajama?" laughed Faith.
"No, you are miles away! It's something that is precious, that you can
share equally, and that did not cost me a penny. There! I've given
you pointers enough for the dullest guesser."
"And only made it harder!" said Hope.
"Let's see, it's precious, and to be shared, and cost nothing? I
didn't suppose one could even pick up a pebble, in Algiers, without its
costing."
"Well, this is not a pebble," returned the father.
"Oh, may we ask questions?" cried Faith. "Like the game of 'Twenty
Questions,' you know?" and, at his nod, she continued excitedly, "Is it
animal, vegetable, or mineral?"
"Well, one might almost say all three," said their father slowly, "for
its principal ingredient is certainly vegetable, yet with it is a
strong impress of what may be made from a mineral, and neither would be
of the least use, but for the animal, which combines the two, to make
them what they are."
"Dear! dear! It grows harder and harder," groaned Hope. "Is its
principal element fire, air, earth, or water?"
"Well, you've rather caught me there," laughed the father. "Let me
see--there may be fire of a certain kind in it, though it's not yet
visible; of course it is permeated with air, like everything else, and,
judging from its appearance, I should think there was considerable
earth about it--" laughing amusedly--"but water? Well, no--it has
crossed water, no doubt, but--"
"Papa, it's a book!" Hope burst out with conviction.
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