"
"Then you haven't slept out before?"
"No," said Mary.
"My word!" said Mrs. Gosden; "what sore throats you'll have in the morning!
Roughing it's all very well by day, but give me a comfortable bed to lay in
of a night. That's me!"
At this moment the sound of wheels was heard, and Mrs. Gosden jumped up and
added some hot water to the tea and cut some more bread-and-butter. "That's
father," she said, and Mr. Gosden soon after came in.
He was a big man with whiskers under his chin all the way round, but none
on the rest of his face.
"Hello!" he said; "visitors!"
"Yes," said Mrs. Gosden, "a young lady and gentleman who are living in a
caravan, and want to camp in the hay takers. At least, I think it's the hay
takers from what they say of it."
"Ho, do they?" said Mr. Gosden. "A nice state of things," he added with a
twinkle, "when every one who comes to ask leave to spoil one of my fields
gets a nice tea given them!" and he laughed.
"We shouldn't spoil it," said Gregory.
"Well," said Mr. Gosden, "perhaps you'll tell me how you make a fire. Isn't
it on the ground? And what do you do with your rubbish? Clean it up and
take it along with you? Not too likely. I've had caravaners here before.
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