e not playing football yet, or else the
weather wouldn't matter so much. They say the wet weather keeps their
joints supple. It's the dry weather and frost that's so hard to play in.
Ted's always one for a lot of sport, specially football. Such a mess as
he comes home sometimes. 'You must clean your own clothes,' I always
says to him. We have a joke at him, that when he wins one of these
competitions (he's always one for going in for these guessing
competitions that promises such a lot of money if you put in an odd word
somewhere). He's always bound to win every time he goes in, and we tell
him that when he wins it, he can keep a servant to clean his trousers
after every football match. 'I shan't let any of you have any of it you
don't take care,' he says; 'I'll be laughing at you before long, see if
I'm not. Wait till you all come asking for rides on my motor-bike;
what'll you say then?' he says. 'Eh!' says his father, 'I shall say
there's more fools in the world than one!' Well Miss Hilton, good
morning; I'm very glad to see you any time. I'm alone a good lot now,
you know. It's not like it was once with children all round the kitchen.
I'm glad of a bit of company now sometimes. Why, it's beautiful now!"
she concluded, opening the door and stepping out in front of Anne,
looking round the sky with eyes which blinked a little under the strong
light.

CHAPTER XI

Next day at daybreak the country was whitened by a light mist. The birds
sang incessantly with long ecstatic calling from throats which had drunk
the air of the dawn and retained something of its quality. Coolness
refreshed the day and strengthened the eyes, and one's ears were opened
to hear from every side the chorus which in a more varied landscape one
took as a part of the glittering moving world outside the house.

Anne unbolted the house-door. The dog rose from the hearth and stretched
itself slowly, yawning and shutting its mouth with a snap. Then it
walked to the door, waiting until it was dragged open grating on the
sand of the floor. The cool morning air came in like a visitor. The old
dog pushed against Anne as she stepped outside, sneezed, yawned again,
and lay down in the sunshine to finish his nap.

"Haven't you had enough sleep yet, Lion?" said Anne. "Look, what a
beautiful day it is! Why, there's Mary on the road already," she added,
looking over the low gate.

Mary was coming straight down the middle of the road, her
black-and-whit