"Amelia," I cried, "come here quickly. The—the tortoise is slipping down the couch."
"And that won't be the first time, mum," she returned, diving after it. "And you won't have a pocket, mum."
"Shake up my cushions, please, and—" I whispered in her ear as she leaned over me, "don't tell the master yet."
"What are you two up to?" asked Dimbie.
"Amelia is bringing you some tea, and we are going to have supper in the garden. I always have supper under the apple tree when it's fine," I said quickly.
"Isn't it a bit earwiggy?"
"It is; but to make up for that there is the night-scented stock, and a corncrake in the field. Peter got very angry with the corncrake and the frogs."
"By the way, where are Peter and your mother? It is very decent of them to have gone out and left us alone for a bit."
"They are gone home," I replied. "A seismic movement of the earth's crust is now taking place at Dorking."
Dimbie laughed.