on of a corner of a field some distance away.

Supper finished, most of the workers sat about and rested. A few,
possessed of superfluous energy, took a walk to the village a mile
off, but the generality were very tired. A gramophone in the marquee
blared away at popular songs, and the more lively spirits joined in
the choruses; one or two even attempted to dance on the grass. Miss
Gibbs had already struck up a friendship with a lady journalist, and
some of the girls began to make overtures to the Tadbury scholars, who
looked rather a jolly little set. Everybody retired early, as they
would have to be up at 5.30, and in the fields by seven.

The Marlowe Grange contingent were much exercised as to the best way
to place their mattresses. They did not know whether to sleep with
their heads or their feet to the tent-pole, and finally decided in
favour of the former. Going to bed was a funny business in so very
small a space, with no chairs or places to put clothes down, and only
one tin basin amongst six to wash in. It was funnier still when they
attempted to lie down on their mattresses. A bag stuffed with hay is
so round that it is very difficult to keep upon it without rolling
off, and there was much pommelling and flattening before the beds were
at all tenable. At last everyone was settled, the lights were out, and
the campers, rolled in their blankets, tried to compose themselves to
sleep.

Raymonde, whose billet was opposite the door of the tent, could see
out, and watch the stars shining. She lay awake a long time, with her
eyes fixed on a bright planet that moved across the little horizon of
sky visible to her, till it passed out of sight, and at length she too
slept.

CHAPTER X

The Campers

Life began at the camp soon after 5 a.m., when the more energetic
spirits tumbled off their hay sacks, flung on dressing-gowns, and
scrambled for turns at the bath tent. Fetching water for the day was
the first business of the morning, and those on bucket duty trotted
off to the stream, two fields away, joking and making fun as they
went, but returning more soberly with the heavy pails. The 6.15
breakfast tasted delicious after their early outing, and most of the
workers seemed in good spirits. By seven o'clock the whole party were
down in the gardens. The Marlowe Grange girls had never seen
strawberries by the acre before, and they were amazed, almost daunted,
at the sight of the vast quantity of fruit that mus