5 A little exploring
　　The four children went to the broken-down door and gazed out at the towering mountains aroundthem. They seemed to hem¹ the valley in and make it a green prison. None of the children had seensuch high mountains before. Clouds hung about halfway² up two or three of them, and their topsshowed now and again as the clouds shifted and parted.
　　‘It’s a very lonely kind of place,’ said Jack³. ‘I bet there’s all kinds of strange birds here – butI’ve only seen one or two so far. It’s funny that those men should have known where to land inthis valley – that smooth strip of grass makes a splendid landing ground. It looks as if they’ve beenhere before. But why should they come here ? There doesn’t seem anything to come for at all – nohotel, not even a cottage that isn’t burnt, as far as we can see.’
　　‘Oh, there may be,’ said Philip. ‘Hey, look at that little lizard⁴! I’ve never seen one like thatbefore. What a pretty little fellow!’
　　The lizard ran close by Philip’s feet. The boy bent⁵ down quietly and his left hand caught thetiny creature by the neck. If he had caught it by the tail it would probably have snapped off, andthe lizard would have run away without it.
　　‘Oh, put it down, Philip, do!’ said Dinah. ‘Horrid creature!’
　　‘It isn’t,’ said Philip. ‘Look at its dear little feet with fingers on. Do look, Dinah.’
　　Dinah gave a squeal⁶ and pushed Philip away. Lucy-Ann and Jack looked at the tiny lizard withinterest.
　　‘It’s like a very, very small dragon,’ said Jack. ‘Open your hand and see ifit will stay with you,Philip.’
　　‘Of course it will!’ said Philip, who always seemed to exercise a strange spell over any creaturehe picked up. He opened his hand and let the lizard lie on his open palm. It made no attempt toescape at all.
　　‘See? It wants to stay with me,’ said Philip. ‘And so it shall. What’s your name, little thing?

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