208 IDLEHURST : 



ground. There are people who are always grubbing 

 up Enchanted Forests to plant rhubarb upon. Mrs. 

 Lydia declares that none of my nectarines are so 

 good as the mere chance of finding a stray Victoria 

 deep in the leaves, an oversight of the pickers. And 

 I recall the longing felt in childish walks to be 

 among the dim blue hills far, far away, the magic 

 distance that fled before me, and still flies, year by 

 year, further from one's feet. 



At last the light began to fade, and Bob and I 

 took our road home. I asked him if he didn't think 

 the girls rather jolly for girls ? Well, yes, some of 

 them. Alice was rather jolly, I should think ? Yes, 

 very. 



" They want us to ask them all to tea on Thursday," 

 I remarked ; " but of course we can't, because we are 

 going to fish at the mill that day." 



" Of course/' says Bob ; without enthusiasm, I 

 think. 



Halfway through supper Bob suggests, " I say, 

 Uncle, how would it be if we fished first, and had 

 them up to tea afterwards ? " 



I find he is not quite prepared to put off the fish- 

 ing till next week ; so we arrange to divide the day 

 between the mill and the garden. When Bob says 

 good night, he wants to know, in an offhand manner, 



