d said good-night.

CHAPTER 8

THE FIRST DAY

Mr. Lenox's young brother gave them a tremendous breakfast, and called
in Fizzy and Shrimp and the Snarker to help, and then Janet paid the
bill at the Mitre and bought a few things, including two cold chickens,
and they all went down to the little inn yard together and found Kink
waiting for them.

Janet, whose duties as paymaster had now begun in earnest, also paid
Kink's bill; Robert set his pedometer at zero; and the whole party
started, followed by the crowd of idle men and children to which they
were destined to become so accustomed. For a caravan with people in it
who are not gipsies is still an excitement in England.

Kink drove and the others walked behind, or by the side, or in
front--mostly in front, for it was soon discovered that Moses had a
slower walk than any other of the party--in fact, two miles an hour was
more than his rate, although Kink assured them that he could trot from
four to five on the level, and keep it up.

It was a fine but rather windy day, and the dust flew about a little
too much; but everything was too fresh and exciting for that to matter.
What is a little dust on the first day of a caravan expedition!

Mr. Lenox's young brother and his jolly friends turned back at
Wolvercot, as there was work to do even at Oxford. It was not until
their last waving handkerchiefs were out of sight that the children
really felt themselves at the start of their adventurous enterprise. In
fact, Robert put the feeling into words. "Now we're beginning," he said.

Up to this time all had walked; but, glancing at Gregory's lagging
legs, Janet soon began to assume the little mother once again. In
consultation with Kink, it was decided that on fairly level roads Moses
was equal to the Slowcoach plus four passengers, and it was therefore
agreed that there should never be more than that number riding at once,
but, in order that no one should be too tired, they should take it in
turns to enjoy these short periods of ease.

The arrangement made it necessary to appoint a new officer, who was
called the Regulator of Rests, and Mary Rotheram was chosen. Her duties
were not quite as simple as they sound, because Gregory, the youngest,
and Hester, being not very much older and not very strong, were to have
more rides than anyone else; Kink also must be allowed to ride a good
deal. And this meant a little calculation; but Mary was always good at
arithmetic.