glancing with a smile at her niece, who sat on the arm of her father’s
chair.
“There’s _another_ ‘seven,’” Rachel whispered meaningly to Diana, when
the grown-up people began to talk amongst themselves....
“The Pyramids are amazing,” Rachel’s mother was saying, after she had
been describing what they had seen in Egypt. “Weren’t they counted
among the Wonders of the World? I’m not surprised.”
“It was the first Great Pyramid that was one of the Seven Wonders, I
think, wasn’t it?” Rachel’s father returned. “What were the others? I
don’t believe anyone knows!”
“We do!” exclaimed Rachel, suddenly. She really couldn’t help it.
Her mother and father laughed, but looked surprised.
“Well, what are they?” asked both of them, speaking together.
“There’s the Great Pyramid, and the Hanging Gardens at Babylon, and
the Colossus at Rhodes—” began Rachel, very quickly.
“And the Temple of Diana at Ephesus, and the Mausoleum at
Halicarnassus, and the Pharos at Alexandria,” added Diana with equal
speed.
“And the statue of Jupiter Olympius.”
The last one they said together, almost in the same breath.
“That’s seven,” was Rachel’s last word.
“Well, I never!” exclaimed her father. He looked across at Aunt Hester
and laughed again. “How on earth have they learnt all that?”
“Mr. Sheston, I expect,” returned his sister. “He was always taking
them to the British Museum.”
At the mention of the old man’s name, Rachel’s father glanced quickly
at his little daughter, who returned the look with a smile.
“Mr. Sheston is a wonderful old boy, isn’t he, Rachel?” he remarked
quietly.
[Illustration]
“Oh, yes!... And, Dad,” she began, moving even closer to him. “It’s
lovely to be going home, but I’ve enjoyed it _awfully_ here with Aunt
Hester, and Diana, and—Mr. Sheston. And it would be dreadful never
to come back again. I may—some time or other—mayn’t I?” she begged
earnestly.
“Oh, yes!” cried Diana, with equal fervour.
Rachel’s father put his arm round her.
“Of course you may,” he said, “if your aunt will have you.”
“Of _course_ I will,” returned Aunt Hester, looking gratified.
“I’m glad you like Mr. Sheston,” observed Rachel’s father, smiling
first at his little daughter, and then at Diana.
“Let’s give _seven_ cheers!” exclaimed Diana. And both children laughed.
[Illustration]
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE:
Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
Original publication date 1921