PROLOGUE

CHAPTER I

THE KNIGHT OF THE MAGIC CAVE

When Cinders began to dig a hole no power on earth, except brute force, could ever stop him till he sank exhausted.  Not even the sight of a crab could divert his thoughts from this entrancing occupation, much less his mistress’s shrill whistle; and this was strange, for on all other occasions it was his custom to display the most exemplary obedience.

Of a cheerful disposition was Cinders, deeply interested in all things living, despising nothing however trivial, constantly seeking, and very often finding, treasures of supreme value in his own estimation.  It was probably this passion for investigation that induced him to dig with such energy and perseverance, but he was not an interesting companion when the digging mood was upon him.  It was, in fact, advisable to keep at a distance, for he created a miniature sand-storm in his immediate vicinity that spoiled the amusement of all except himself and successfully checked all intrusive sympathy.

“It really is too bad of him,” said Chris, as she sat on a rock at twelve yards’ distance and dried her feet in melancholy preoccupation.  “It’s the third day running, and I’m so tired of having nobody to talk to and nothing to do—­not even a crab-hunt.”

There was some pleasure to be extracted from crab-hunting under Cinders’ ardent leadership, but alone it held no fascinations.  It really was just a little selfish of Cinders.

She glanced towards him, and saw that the sand-storm had temporarily abated.  He was working away the heap that had collected beneath him in preparation for more extensive operations.

“Cinders!” she called, in the forlorn hope of attracting his attention.  “Cinders!” Then, with a sudden spurt of animation, “Cinders darling, just come and see what I’ve found!”

But Cinders was not so easily deceived.  He stood a moment with his stubby little body tensely poised, then plunged afresh with feverish eagerness to his task.

The sand-storm recommenced, and Chris turned with a sigh to contemplate the blue horizon.  A large steamer was travelling slowly across it.  She watched it enviously.

“Lucky people!” she said.  “Lucky, lucky people!”

The wind caught her red-brown hair and blew it out like a cloak behind her.  It was still damp, for she had been bathing, and when the wind had passed it settled again in long, gleaming ripples upon her shoulders.  She pushed it away from her face with an impatient hand.

“Cinders,” she said, “if you don’t come soon I shall go and find the Knight of the Magic Cave all by myself.”

But even this threat did not move the enthusiastic Cinders.  All that could be seen of him was a pair of sturdy hind-legs firmly planted amid a whirl of sand.  Quite plainly it was nothing to him what steps his young mistress might see fit to take to relieve her boredom.