"This is first rate," exclaimed Meredith, stretching himself on the warm moss.
"And now, Ditto, you are going to read to us."
"Am I?"
"Yes, for you said so."
"An honourable man always keeps his promises," said Meredith. But he lay still.
The two elder girls got out their work again. Maggie sat by and silently stroked the hair on Meredith's temples.
"This is good enough, without reading," he presently went on. "The moss is spicy, the sky is blue, I see it through a lace-work of pine needles; the air is like satin. I cannot imagine anything much better than to lie here and look up."
"But you can feel the air, and see the sky, and smell the moss, too, while you are reading, Ditto."
"Can I? Well! your ten fingers are so many persuaders that I cannot withstand. Let's go in for Pastor Harms!"
So he raised himself on one elbow, no further, and laid his book open on the moss before him.