# XIV: The Divining-Rod explained — The Story of the Treasure Seekers

> Chapter companion for The Story of the Treasure Seekers by E. Nesbit.

## What happens

The Bastable children, stuck indoors during a chaotic cleaning day, turn to imaginative play to pass the time. After a quarrel is resolved by Noël's impromptu poetry, Alice leads them in a divining-rod treasure hunt using an old umbrella. To their astonishment, the rod leads them to a loose floorboard where they discover a real half-sovereign. Albert's uncle confirms the find and advises them to tell their father, who allows them to keep the coin. They decide to spend it on a feast, and Father mentions that their mother's Indian Uncle is coming to dinner the next day, setting the stage for a memorable event.

## Themes in this chapter

### Childhood Adventure and Imagination

The children transform a dreary cleaning day into an elaborate treasure hunt with a divining-rod, priestess, and chants, showcasing their boundless creativity.

### Innocence and Moral Development

The children learn to resolve quarrels through Noël's poetry, and they demonstrate honesty by telling their father about the found half-sovereign, reflecting moral growth.

## Character check-ins

### Oswald Bastable

Narrates the chapter; acts as peacemaker during the quarrel and participates in the divining-rod game as a 'doctor' and later as a digger.

### Alice Bastable

Takes the role of the priestess in the divining-rod game, leading the children to the discovery of the half-sovereign.

### Noël Bastable

Creates impromptu poetry to resolve the quarrel; is crowned poet laureate with laurel leaves; contributes to the divining-rod chant.

### Dora Bastable

Helps organize the children; makes the laurel crown for Noël; participates in the treasure hunt and later plans the feast.

### H. O. Bastable

Gets a bump on his head from a broom; plays the wounded hero; is given hardbake to help keep his vow not to touch the feast.

## Key lines

> You have no idea how uncomfortable the house was on the day when we sought for gold with the divining-rod. It was like a spring-cleaning in the wintertime.

The house was extremely chaotic and uncomfortable during our gold-seeking adventure with the divining-rod, resembling a spring-cleaning in the middle of winter.

_Oswald sets the scene, emphasizing the disruption caused by the cleaning and the children's treasure hunt._

> Quarrelling is an evil thing, It fills with gall life's cup; For when once you begin It takes such a long time to make it up.

Noël's poem warns that quarreling is harmful and difficult to resolve once started.

_Noël's poetry serves as a peacemaking tool, reflecting the theme of moral development._

> The great high priest will bite it to see if it's good,” he said, and he did. “I congratulate you,” he went on; “you are indeed among those favoured by the Immortals.

Albert's uncle, acting as the high priest, tests the half-sovereign by biting it and congratulates the children on their good fortune.

_Albert's uncle humorously validates the children's discovery, blending adult authority with playful imagination._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_the_treasure_seekers_se/chapters/xiv-the-divining-rod
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_the_treasure_seekers_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_the_treasure_seekers_se/chapters