Mr.Lenox's young brother gave them a tremendous breakfast, and called in Fizzy and Shrimp and the Snarker to help, and then Janet paid the bill at the Mitre and bought a few things, including two cold chickens, and they all went down to the little inn yard together and found Kink waiting for them.
Janet, whose duties as paymaster had now begun in earnest, also paid Kink's bill; Robert set his pedometer at zero; and the whole party started, followed by the crowd of idle men and children to which they were destined to become so accustomed.For a caravan with people in it who are not gipsies is still an excitement in England.
Kink drove and the others walked behind, or by the side, or in front--mostly in front, for it was soon discovered that Moses had a slower walk than any other of the party--in fact, two miles an hour was more than his rate, although Kink assured them that he could trot from four to five on the level, and keep it up.
It was a fine but rather windy day, and the dust flew about a little too much; but everything was too fresh and exciting for that to matter.What is a little dust on the first day of a caravan expedition!
Mr.Lenox's young brother and his jolly friends turned back at Wolvercot, as there was work to do even at Oxford.It was not until their last waving handkerchiefs were out of sight that the children really felt themselves at the start of their adventurous enterprise.In fact, Robert put the feeling into words."Now we're beginning," he said.
Up to this time all had walked; but, glancing at Gregory's lagging legs, Janet soon began to assume the little mother once again.In consultation with Kink, it was decided that on fairly level roads Moses was equal to the Slowcoach plus four passengers, and it was therefore agreed that there should never be more than that number riding at once, but, in order that no one should be too tired, they should take it in turns to enjoy these short periods of ease.
The arrangement made it necessary to appoint a new officer, who was called the Regulator of Rests, and Mary Rotheram was chosen.Her duties were not quite as simple as they sound, because Gregory, the youngest, and Hester, being not very much older and not very strong, were to have more rides than anyone else; Kink also must be allowed to ride a good deal.And this meant a little calculation; but Mary was always good at arithmetic.
Gregory, of course, refused point blank to ride a single yard; but he was rarely sorry, none the less, when the time came to climb the steps and settle down in a chair.
They had lunch that first day near Yarnton, without making any camp or cooking anything.The cooking was to be saved for the evening.They merely tore the two cold chickens to pieces and ate them with bread-and-butter and stone ginger beer from an inn beside the road.It is much the best way with a cold chicken.Afterwards bananas, which someone had told Mrs.Avory were the most sustaining of fruit.
Robert had arranged an easy day to begin with, and they were to go no farther than Woodstock, where, for those not too tired, there was Blenheim to see, the wonderful house of the Duke of Marlborough, and Fair Rosamond's Bower, and the park and the lake.Hester even had hopes of finding a distressed Blenheim spaniel puppy in some romantic sort of way, and adopting it for life.
But there were none of these things for them.Indeed, caravaners very soon get out of the habit of making plans at all.It is all too uncertain.The only things that really are certain are work and delay.They got no nearer to Blenheim than to peer through its gates and to recite, very imperfectly, the verses about old Caspar's work and little Wilhelmine.
At about half-past three they entered Woodstock, and, after passing through the village and doing a little shopping there, surrounded by all Woodstock's children who were not in school, they began to look about for a camping-place.And this needs more thought than one might suppose, for there must be some shelter from the wind, and water must not be too distant.Also one does not want to be very close to a busy and dusty road.
Kink, who had gone off on a little tour of inspection, came back at last and said he had found an excellent field, high and dry, and sheltered too.
Stopping a labourer, they found that the farmer was Mr.Gosden, of Blackett's; and Gregory and Mary Rotheram hurried off to the farm-house, which was a few fields off, to ask permission, and get some milk, and perhaps eggs and butter.
