WOODCRAFT 259 



away, either from the south or west ; they 

 are high up, passing swiftly over the weald. 

 When they are over the hill-tops, something 

 seems to attract them, and you will see the 

 cloud -masses lower and hover round for a 

 time. Then comes the rain, sheets of it ; 

 and for a time the face of the country is 

 blotted out. But it soon clears and the sun 

 comes out, the vapour clouds passing away 

 into space. I have known it rain in the 

 summer time more or less for a week on 

 the hills, while in the long vales, only seven 

 miles away, there has not been enough rain- 

 fall to lay the dust. The air- currents that 

 draw through the hollows are very shifting ; 

 conflicting waves of air appear to meet at 

 times, to judge from the sudden changes from 

 heat to cold. When frequent, these sudden 

 changes affect people not a little. 



"W 7 ill it be fine to-day?" I asked one of 

 them that I met, for on that particular day 

 much depended for me on its turning out 

 fine, and I was anxious about the matter. 



"Did ye see the rooks makin' for the 

 ship (sheep) walk on top o' the hills?" 



"Yes, and there was a lot of sky-tumbling 

 going on with them." 



