He counted it up. It was Greek money, and Lucy-Ann had no idea of its value.
“Yes, you might buy one or two things,” he said. “There’s this blue carved stone, for instance.”
“No, I don’t want that,” said Lucy-Ann. “I really want to buy something for Philip. It’s his birthday soon. Is there anything he would like? Don’t let him see it — it’s to keep for his birthday.”
“Well — what about this tiny carved ship?” said Lucian, holding out a miniature ship, exactly like some of the ships in the harbour. “It isn’t old, of course.”
Seeing the ship reminded Lucy-Ann of something. “Oh! I know what I’d like to buy for him, Lucian. I’ve just thought. Something he badly wants.”
“What’s that?” said Lucian.
“He wants a ship in a bottle,” said Lucy-Ann. “I know it sounds a queer thing to ask for, but Philip says he always has wanted a ship in a bottle.”
“Well — I don’t think I’ve ever seen one here,” said Lucian. “It’s not the kind of thing they sell. Wait a minute. I’ll ask the johnny who’s at the back of the shop. He’ll know.”
He made his way through the masses of curious goods, and disappeared behind a screen, where he could be heard talking to someone. He appeared again a minute later.
“No, they don’t sell things like that here,” he said. “But he says he knows where there is one, though it’s rather a dirty old thing, and he thinks it’s cracked.”
“Where is it?” asked Lucy-Ann. “I could clean it up, if it isn’t too badly cracked.”
“He says he saw it on a shelf in a house belonging to an old fisherman, not far from here,” said Lucian. “I’ll like you if you like. Would Mrs. Mannering mind?”
Mrs. Mannering was with the ship’s party, but she was keeping an eye on Lucian and his little company. Lucy-Ann thought she had better go and ask permission. She went out of the shop and found Mrs. Mannering with the rest of the party having a cool native drink in a curious little courtyard overshadowed by an enormous tree.
“Aunt Allie — I want to give Philip a ship in a bottle for his birthday, and I’ve heard of one. Lucian says he’ll take me to get it. May I go?” asked the little girl.
“Yes, but don’t be long, Lucian,” said Mrs. Mannering. “It’s not far, is it?”
“Oh no — just behind the market, that’s all,” said Lucian, and set off with Lucy-Ann. They crossed the noisy market, falling over stray hens, and getting in the way of a herd of goats. They came to a tall blank wall and went around it. On the other side was a sloping courtyard, and round it were set several quaint little cottages made of stone.
Lucian went to one of them and shouted in at the open door. A croaking voice answered him. “Want to come in?” he asked Lucy-Ann. “It will be a bit smelly, I expect.”
Lucy-Ann didn’t really want to go in, but she thought it would be rude to refuse, so she stepped over a hen that was squatting on the step, and went into a small dark room that certainly did smell rather strongly of dirty clothes, smoke and cooking.
“There’s the ship in a bottle, look,” said Lucian, and he pointed to a stone shelf at the end of the room. There was a broken pot on it, an old bone — and the bottle! Lucy-Ann peered at the bottle to see if there was a ship inside. It was so sooty and dirty that she couldn’t see through the glass.
Lucian said something to the old woman sitting on a stool, picked up the bottle and carried it to the door. He wiped it with his handkerchief, and held up the bottle for Lucy-Ann to see.
“There you are. You can just see the ship now. We’d have to wash the bottle in soapy water before we got the dirt off. It’s quite a good ship — nicely carved. And I should think Philip would like it if he really wants one, though I can’t imagine why anyone should long for a ship in a bottle.”
“Oh, I can!” said Lucy-Ann, peering at the ship. “I’ve often longed for things like this — you know, quite useless, but nice and queer. I had a friend once who had a glass ball, and inside was a little snowman — and when you shook the ball a whole lot of snow rose up inside the ball and showered itself down over the snowman. I loved that. So I know why Philip wants this.”
“Well — shall I ask the old dame if she’ll sell it?” asked Lucian. “The bottle is dirty and cracked, so it’s not worth much.”
“Yes — ask her. You know how much money I’ve got. I can spend all that,” said Lucy-Ann. Lucian went back into the cottage with the bottle, nearly falling over two ducking hens on the way. A loud argument could be heard from inside. Lucy-Ann stayed out in the open air, listening, but not understanding a word. She felt she couldn’t bear to smell the smell inside the cottage again.
Lucian came out, triumphant. He carried the bottle. “Well, there you are. I’ve spent half your money. The old dame wanted the money badly, but she said she didn’t know what her old Grandad would think if he knew she’d sold a ship that had been in that bottle and in that family for years and years. However, as her Grandad must have died long ago I don’t expect he’ll mind. Here you are.”
“Oh, thank you, Lucian,” said Lucy-Ann gratefully. “I’ll get a bit of paper and wrap it up. I do do hope Philip will like it. It’s an exciting present, isn’t it?”
But it was going to be much, much more exciting than Lucy-Ann imagined!
Chapter 8
THE SHIP IN THE BOTTLE
LUCY-ANN managed to get some paper and wrap up the bottle and ship before Philip saw it. The others were curious to know what she had got, but she wouldn’t tell them.
“It’s something breakable because you’re carrying it so carefully!” said Jack. When they got back to the ship she unwrapped the bottle when she and Dinah got into their cabin, and showed it to her.
“What a dirty old thing!” said Dinah. “What is it? You haven’t spent your money on that, surely!”
“Half of it,” said Lucy-Ann. “It’s for Philip’s birthday. He said he wanted one. It’s a ship in a bottle.”
“Is it really? Gosh, so it is!” said Dinah, interested. “Let’s clean it up and see it properly. Isn’t it a big one?”
They rubbed soap on a flannel and proceeded to clean up the bottle. Once the glass was clean the ship inside could be plainly seen. It was a beauty, quite big, intricately carved, with carefully-made sails. In contrast to the bottle, it was clean and free from dust. The colours it had been painted with were still bright.
“Look at that!” said Lucy-Ann in delight. “It must be a model of one of the old Greek ships. How did it get into the bottle, Dinah? Look, the neck of the bottle is small and narrow — nobody could possibly push that lovely little ship through the neck. It would be quite impossible.”
“I can’t imagine how it got into the bottle,” said Dinah, puzzled too. “But it’s certainly inside. Won’t Philip be pleased? I rather like it myself.”
“Oh, so do I. It’s wizard,” said Lucy-Ann. She stood it on a shelf. The bottle had a flat side, and stood on this, the lovely little ship sailing along as it seemed, in the middle of the bottle, all its sails set.
“What’s the ship called?” said Dinah, peering at it. “I can’t tell, can you? The letters on it aren’t like ours. They must be Greek.”
The ship in the bottle was duly given to Philip two days later on his birthday. He was thrilled. Lucy-Ann glowed with delight when she saw how pleased he was.
“But where did you get it? Why, it’s the nicest one I’ve ever seen!” he said. “Quite the nicest. Really beautifully made. I wonder how old it is. I’m glad it’s such a nice big one too. Most of the ships in bottles I’ve seen are much smaller than this.”
Micky and Kiki came to look at the ship in the bottle. Micky saw the ship through the glass and tried to get hold of it. He couldn’t, of course, because of the glass, and it puzzled him.
“Happy Christmas,” said Kiki to Philip, every now and again. She had been taught to say “Happy returns” but she kept mixing it up with “Happy Christmas,” which she said every few minutes.
“Thanks, old thing,” Philip said. “Happy New Year to you!”