your bonny faces at my door!' she said. That'll be part of my payment, see? I can tell you're well-brought-up children by your nice manners and ways. You'll not be doing any damage or foolishness on the farm, I know.'
The children came away laden with all kinds of food, from eggs and ham to scones and ginger cakes. She pushed a bottle of raspberry syrup into Anne's hand when the little girl said good-bye. But when Julian turned back to pay her for it she was quite annoyed.
'If I want to make a present to somebody I'll do it!' she said. 'Go on with you . . . paying for this and paying for that. I'll have a little something extra for you each time, and don't you dare to ask to pay for it, or I'll be after you with my rolling pin!'
'Isn't she awfully nice?' said Anne as they made their way back to the caravans. 'Even Timmy offered to shake hands with her without you telling him to, George — and he hardly ever does that to anyone, does he?'
They packed the things away into the larder, got up into the driving-seats, clicked to Dobby and Trotter and set off up the track again.
Just over half a mile away was a clump of birch trees. 'We'll find that sheltered hollow near them,' said Julian.
'Yes, look — there it is — set back into the hill, a really cosy place! Just right for camping in
— and oh, what a magnificent view!'
It certainly was. They could see right down the steep hillside to the lake. It lay spread out, flat and smooth, like an enchanted mirror. From where they were they could now see right to the opposite banks of the lake — and it was indeed a big stretch of water.
'Isn't it blue?' said Anne, staring. 'Bluer even than the sky. Oh, won't it be lovely to see this marvellous view every single day we're here?'
Julian backed the caravans into the hollow. Heather grew there, like a springy purple carpet.
Harebells, pale as an evening sky, grew in clumps in crevices of the hill behind. It was a lovely spot for camping in.
George's sharp ears caught the sound of water and she went to look for it. She called back to the others. 'What do you think? There's another spring here, coming out of the hill. Drinking and washing water laid on! Aren't we lucky?'
'We certainly are,' said Julian. 'It's a lovely place — and nobody will disturb us here!'
But he spoke too soon!
CHAPTER NINE
AN UNPLEASANT MEETING
It really was fun settling into that cosy hollow. The two caravans were backed in side by side.
The horses were taken out and led to a big field where the farmer's horses were kept when they had done their day's work. Trotter and Dobby seemed very pleased with the green, sloping field. It had a spring of its own that ran into a stone trough and out of it, keeping it always filled with fresh cold water. Both horses went to take a long drink.
'Well, that settles the two horses all right,' said Julian. 'We'll tell the farmer he can borrow them if he wants to — he'll be harvesting soon and may like to have Dobby and Trotter for a few days. They will enjoy hobnobbing with other horses again.'
At the front of the hollow was a rocky ledge, hung with heathery tufts. This is the front seat for Lake View!' said Anne. 'Oh, it's warm from the sun! How lovely!'
'I vote we have all our meals on this ledge,' said George, sitting down too. 'It's comfortable and roomy — and flat enough to take our cups and plates without spilling anything — and honestly the view from here is too gorgeous for words. Can anyone see anything of the circus from up here?'
'There's a spire or two of smoke over yonder,' said Dick, pointing. 'I should think that's where the camp is. And look — there's a boat pushing out on the lake — doesn't it look tiny?'
'Perhaps Nobby is in it,' said Anne. 'Haven't we brought any field-glasses, Julian? I thought we had.'
'Yes — we have,' said Julian, remembering. 'I'll get them.' He went to the green caravan, rummaged about in the drawers, and came out with his field-glasses
The children came away laden with all kinds of food, from eggs and ham to scones and ginger cakes. She pushed a bottle of raspberry syrup into Anne's hand when the little girl said good-bye. But when Julian turned back to pay her for it she was quite annoyed.
'If I want to make a present to somebody I'll do it!' she said. 'Go on with you . . . paying for this and paying for that. I'll have a little something extra for you each time, and don't you dare to ask to pay for it, or I'll be after you with my rolling pin!'
'Isn't she awfully nice?' said Anne as they made their way back to the caravans. 'Even Timmy offered to shake hands with her without you telling him to, George — and he hardly ever does that to anyone, does he?'
They packed the things away into the larder, got up into the driving-seats, clicked to Dobby and Trotter and set off up the track again.
Just over half a mile away was a clump of birch trees. 'We'll find that sheltered hollow near them,' said Julian.
'Yes, look — there it is — set back into the hill, a really cosy place! Just right for camping in
— and oh, what a magnificent view!'
It certainly was. They could see right down the steep hillside to the lake. It lay spread out, flat and smooth, like an enchanted mirror. From where they were they could now see right to the opposite banks of the lake — and it was indeed a big stretch of water.
'Isn't it blue?' said Anne, staring. 'Bluer even than the sky. Oh, won't it be lovely to see this marvellous view every single day we're here?'
Julian backed the caravans into the hollow. Heather grew there, like a springy purple carpet.
Harebells, pale as an evening sky, grew in clumps in crevices of the hill behind. It was a lovely spot for camping in.
George's sharp ears caught the sound of water and she went to look for it. She called back to the others. 'What do you think? There's another spring here, coming out of the hill. Drinking and washing water laid on! Aren't we lucky?'
'We certainly are,' said Julian. 'It's a lovely place — and nobody will disturb us here!'
But he spoke too soon!
CHAPTER NINE
AN UNPLEASANT MEETING
It really was fun settling into that cosy hollow. The two caravans were backed in side by side.
The horses were taken out and led to a big field where the farmer's horses were kept when they had done their day's work. Trotter and Dobby seemed very pleased with the green, sloping field. It had a spring of its own that ran into a stone trough and out of it, keeping it always filled with fresh cold water. Both horses went to take a long drink.
'Well, that settles the two horses all right,' said Julian. 'We'll tell the farmer he can borrow them if he wants to — he'll be harvesting soon and may like to have Dobby and Trotter for a few days. They will enjoy hobnobbing with other horses again.'
At the front of the hollow was a rocky ledge, hung with heathery tufts. This is the front seat for Lake View!' said Anne. 'Oh, it's warm from the sun! How lovely!'
'I vote we have all our meals on this ledge,' said George, sitting down too. 'It's comfortable and roomy — and flat enough to take our cups and plates without spilling anything — and honestly the view from here is too gorgeous for words. Can anyone see anything of the circus from up here?'
'There's a spire or two of smoke over yonder,' said Dick, pointing. 'I should think that's where the camp is. And look — there's a boat pushing out on the lake — doesn't it look tiny?'
'Perhaps Nobby is in it,' said Anne. 'Haven't we brought any field-glasses, Julian? I thought we had.'
'Yes — we have,' said Julian, remembering. 'I'll get them.' He went to the green caravan, rummaged about in the drawers, and came out with his field-glasses
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