aving Kink and Moses to do the remaining seventy miles
alone.

The distance from Bredon to Faringdon through Cheltenham, Cirencester,
and Fairford, was roughly forty-five miles, or five days of nine miles
each. Starting at Oxford, as was proposed, they would be three or four
days in getting to Stratford, and two days there; three days more, at
the most, in getting to Bredon, This would make eleven days altogether,
which would make, with rests on the two Sundays, and one whole day at
the White Horse, the full fortnight.

This, then, is what was at last decided: that Kink should get the
caravan to Oxford and be all ready for the children to join him on the
Wednesday morning. They should go down to Oxford on the day before and
be looked after by Mr. Lenox's young brother, who was at Oriel.

They should leave Oxford in the caravan on the next morning on their
way to Stratford-on-Avon.

The distance from Oxford to Stratford was thirty-nine miles, and it was
decided to do this in three days, which meant thirteen miles a day. The
first night, therefore, would be spent near Woodstock, the next near
Chipping Norton, and the third near Shipston down in the green meadows
on the banks of the Stour. At Stratford they would find Mrs. Avory
waiting for them, and stay with her at the Shakespeare Hotel for a day
or so. By that time they would know exactly how much or how little they
liked the caravan, and what things were necessary; and then Mrs. Avory
would go back and they would begin their real adventures. Could
anything be better? Although, of course, Robert was very contemptuous
of the Shakespeare Hotel part of the programme. "The idea of sleeping
in a bed!" he said.

The next thing to do was to apportion the various duties. Kink, of
course, was arranged for; he was to drive and to look after the horse
and sleep as near the caravan as could be managed; while Diogenes was
always to be on guard. Kink also was to see about water.

Janet was purser and steward. She had to decide what food was wanted,
and to keep the money. Hester was the official letter-writer, and was
under a promise to write home every other evening. Robert was the guide
and geographer; he kept the maps. He was also the telegraphist. Mary
Rotheram, who had taken lessons in cooking, was chief cook, and she was
to be helped by Janet. Jack was superintendent of the washing-up, and
Horace Campbell was his principal ally. (How tired they got of it!)
Jack, Horace, a