you are tired. There is so much noise that you can't hear the girls
across the table speak unless they make their hands into a megaphone
and shout. That is the truth.

We are tramping over the hills and reading and writing, and having a
nice, restful time. We climbed to the top of 'Sky Hill' this morning
where Master Jervie and I once cooked supper--it doesn't seem possible
that it was nearly two years ago. I could still see the place where
the smoke of our fire blackened the rock. It is funny how certain
places get connected with certain people, and you never go back without
thinking of them. I was quite lonely without him--for two minutes.

What do you think is my latest activity, Daddy? You will begin to
believe that I am incorrigible--I am writing a book. I started it
three weeks ago and am eating it up in chunks. I've caught the secret.
Master Jervie and that editor man were right; you are most convincing
when you write about the things you know. And this time it is about
something that I do know--exhaustively. Guess where it's laid? In the
John Grier Home! And it's good, Daddy, I actually believe it is--just
about the tiny little things that happened every day. I'm a realist
now. I've abandoned romanticism; I shall go back to it later though,
when my own adventurous future begins.

This new book is going to get itself finished--and published! You see
if it doesn't. If you just want a thing hard enough and keep on trying,
you do get it in the end. I've been trying for four years to get a
letter from you--and I haven't given up hope yet.

Goodbye, Daddy dear,

(I like to call you Daddy dear; it's so alliterative.)

Affectionately,
Judy

PS. I forgot to tell you the farm news, but it's very distressing.
Skip this postscript if you don't want your sensibilities all wrought
up.

Poor old Grove is dead. He got so that he couldn't chew and they had
to shoot him.

Nine chickens were killed by a weasel or a skunk or a rat last week.

One of the cows is sick, and we had to have the veterinary surgeon out
from Bonnyrigg Four Corners. Amasai stayed up all night to give her
linseed oil and whisky. But we have an awful suspicion that the poor
sick cow got nothing but linseed oil.

Sentimental Tommy (the tortoise-shell cat) has disappeared; we are
afraid he has been caught in a trap.

There are lots of trou