CHAPTER XI
Canteen Assistants
The many acres of strawberry gardens were situated some littledistance from the camp, so that the walk backwards and forwardsoccupied about a quarter of an hour each way. Once work was begun,nobody returned to the tents except on some very urgent errand, as theloss of time involved would be great. A really valid excuse occurredone morning, however. Aveline missed her watch, and remembered thatshe had laid it on the breakfast table in the marquee. It seemed veryunsafe to leave it there, so she reported the matter to Miss Gibbs,who told her to go at once and fetch it, and sent Raymonde with her,not liking her to have the walk alone. The two girls were rather gladof the excuse. They were not shirkers, but the picking made theirbacks tired, and the run through the fields was a welcome change. Theyfound the watch still lying on the table in the marquee, and Avelineclasped it round her wrist.
They were leaving the tent when Miss Jones, the canteen matron,bustled in, looking so worried that they ventured to ask: "What's thematter?"
She stopped, as if it were a relief to explode.
"Matter, indeed! You'll have no potatoes or vegetables for yourdinner, that's all, and nothing at all for your supper! Mrs. Harperhasn't turned up, and I can't leave the place with nobody about. Imeant to go to Ledcombe this morning for fresh supplies, and it'searly-closing day, too, the shops will shut at one. Oh, dear! I can'tthink what's to be done! These village helps are more trouble thanthey're worth."
Mrs. Harper, the cook, had failed the camp before, taking anoccasional day off, without any previous notice, to attend to herdomestic affairs at home. Miss Jones knew from former experience thatshe would either stroll in casually about midday, or more probablywould not come at all until to-morrow. In the meantime fifty peoplerequired meals, and the situation was urgent.
"Couldn't we go to Ledcombe for you?" suggested Raymonde.
The matron's face cleared; she jumped at the proposition.
"Geordie's somewhere about the buildings. He'd harness the pony foryou, if you can manage to drive. I'll give you a list of what'sneeded. The meat's come, and I can put that on to stew, and get thepuddings ready, and if you'll be back by eleven there'll be time towash the potatoes. It's only half-past eight now. I'll write down allI want done."
It was impossible to go back to the gardens and ask permission fromMiss Gibbs. The girls considered that the matron's authority wassufficient to justify the expedition, which was certainly for thebenefit of the camp. Neither of them had ever handled the reins in herlife before, so the drive would be a decided adventure.
Armed with a long list of necessaries, two huge market baskets, andMiss Jones's hand-bag containing a supply of money, they started offto the farm to find Geordie, a half-witted boy who did odd jobs aboutthe fold-yard. After a considerable hunt through the barns theydiscovered him at last inside the pigsty, and bribed him with twopenceto go and catch the pony. Dandy was enjoying himself in the field, anddid not come readily; indeed, the girls were almost despairing beforehe was finally led in by his forelock. The little conveyance was asmall, very old-fashioned gig, and though in its far-off youth it mayhave possessed a smart appearance, it was now decidedly more usefulthan ornamental. The varnish was worn and scratched, the cushions hadbeen re-covered with cheap American cloth, the waterproof apron wasthreadbare, and one of the splash-boards was split. The harness alsowas of the most ancient description, and the rough pony badly neededclipping, so that the whole turn-out was deplorably shabby andsecond-rate.
"It's hardly the kind of thing one would drive in round the Park!"laughed Aveline.
"Scarcely! It's the queerest little egg-box on two wheels I've everseen. But what does it matter? Nobody knows us in Ledcombe. The mainpoint is, will it get us over the ground?"
"I wish we'd bicycles instead!"
"But we couldn't bring back a whole cargo of stores on them. I thinkit's top-hole!"
With much laughter and many little jokes the girls tucked themselvesinto their funny conveyance, evidently greatly to the interest ofDandy, who turned his head anxiously as they mounted the step.
"He do be a wise 'un!" explained Geordie. "You see, sometimes Mr.Rivers takes his father-in-law, as weighs seventeen stone, and, with acalf or maybe a young pig as well, it do make a big load. Dandy don'tbe one to overwork hisself. I reckon you'll have to use the whip tohe!"
Neither of the girls had even the most elementary experience ofdriving, but Raymonde, as the elder, and the one who in generalpossessed the greater amount of nerve, boldly seized the reins andarmed herself with the whip. Geordie released Dandy's head, and gavehim a sounding smack as a delicate hint to depart, a proceeding whichbrought clouds of dust from his shaggy coat, and caused him toscramble suddenly forward, and plunge down the lane at quite anadventurous and stylish pace.
"If he won't go, just cuss at him!" yelled Geordie as a last piece ofadvice.
Though Dandy might make a gallant beginning, he had no intention ofbreaking the record for speed, and at the end of a few hundred yardsdropped into an ambling jog-trot, a form of locomotion which seemed tojolt the badly hung little gig to its uttermost.
"It's rather a painful form of exercise!" gasped Aveline, setting herfeet firmly in an attempt to avoid the jarring. "I believe somethingmust be wrong with the springs. Can't you make him go faster?"
"Only if I beat him; and then suppose he runs away?"
"Well, if he does, we'll each cling on to one rein and pull. Isuppose driving is pretty much like steering a bicycle. Is the rule ofthe road the same?"
"Of course. Don't be silly !"
"Well, I never can make out why it's different for foot-passengers.Why should they go to the right, and vehicles to the left?"
"You may be certain all motors will take the middle of the road, atany rate. We shall have to be prepared to make a dash for the hedgewhen we hear a 'too-hoo' round the corner. I've no mind to be run overand squashed out flat!"
"Like the naughty children who teased Diogenes in an old picture-bookI used to have. I always thought it was a lovely idea of his to startthe tub rolling, and simply flatten them out like pancakes. I expectit's a true incident, if we only knew. One of those things that arenot historical, but so probable that you're sure they must havehappened. He'd reason it out by philosophy first, and feel it was atriumph of mind over matter. Perhaps his chuckles when he saw theresult were the origin of the term 'a cynical laugh'. The children inthe picture looked so exactly like pieces of rolled pastry when thetub had done its work."
"I don't think the motors would have any more compunction thanDiogenes, so the moral is--give them as wide a berth as possible. Ifwe were driving a big hay-cart, I'd enjoy blocking the way!"
They had turned out of the lane, and were now on the high road toLedcombe, but progressing at an extremely slow pace. Raymonde venturedto apply the whip, but on the pony's thick coat it appeared to produceas slight an impression as the tickling of a fly, and, when sheendeavoured to give a more efficacious flick, she got the lashignominiously entangled in the harness. There was nothing for it butto pull up, and for Aveline to climb laboriously from the trap, andrelease the much-knotted piece of string. Rendered more careful bythis catastrophe, Raymonde wielded her whip with caution, and gavewhat encouragement she could by jerking the reins vigorously, andoccasionally ejaculating an energetic "Go on, Dandy!" The pony,however, was a cunning little creature, and, knowing perfectly wellthat he was in amateur hands, took full advantage of the situation.Under the excuse of a very slight hill he reduced his pace to a crawl,and began to crop succulent mouthfuls of grass from the hedge-bank, asa means of combining pleasure with business. It was only by judiciousproddings with the butt-end of the whip that he could be induced tohasten his steps.
In spite of the difficulties with Dandy, the drive was enjoyable. Thecountry was very pretty, for they were nearing the hills, and thelandscape was more diversified than in the immediate neighbourhood ofthe camp. They passed through a beech wood, where the sun was glint
ingthrough leaves as transparent and delicate as fairies' wings.
"I feel like primeval man to-day," said Aveline. "The wander fever ison me, and I want to see fresh things."
"We shall be in Ledcombe soon."
"I don't mean towns; it's something much subtler--different fields,unexplored woods, a new piece of river, or even a patch of grass withflowers I haven't found before."
"I know," agreed Raymonde. "It's the feeling one had when one wassmall, and read about how the youngest prince set out into the greatwide world to seek his fortune. I always envied him."
"Or the knights-errant--they had a splendid time roaming through theforest, and tilting a spear against anyone who was ready for singlecombat. One might lead a very merry life yet, like Robin Hood and hisband, in the 'good greenwood', though we shouldn't be 'hunting theKing's red deer'."
"It was pretty much like camp life, I dare say, only a little rougherthan ours. More like the gipsy diggings."
"Talking of gipsies, I believe you've conjured them up. That lookslike a caravan over there. I expect it is some more of the tribecoming to pick strawberries."
The gipsies, collected in a group in the roadway, were loudlybewailing a catastrophe, for their horse had just fallen down dead.Until they could obtain another they must needs stay by the roadside,and could not get on to the gardens.
"They're a handsome set," said Aveline, taking out her camera, whichshe had brought with her. "Just look at the children!"
"It's the mother that attracts me most," said Raymonde.
The woman, indeed, was a beautiful specimen of Romany blood, tall anddark, with great flashing eyes and coarse black hair. She resembled aman more than the gentler sex. She wore a very short red skirt, andhad a little barrel hung over her shoulder by a strap.
"I wish I'd brought my camera!" murmured Raymonde. "I simply hadn'troom to stuff it in. It was a choice between it and my night-gear, andI thought Gibbie'd treat me to jaw-wag if I left out my pyjamas."
Aveline descended from the trap to take her photo, hoping to get asnapshot of the gipsies, just as they were, grouped in dramaticattitudes round the dead horse. At the sight of two well-dressedstrangers, however, the tribal instincts asserted themselves, and thewoman was pushed hurriedly forward by the rest.
"Tell your fortune, my pretty lady!" she began to Aveline in ahalf-bold, half-wheedling voice. "Cross the poor gipsy's hand with ashilling and she'll read the stars for you!"
"No, thanks!" said Aveline, rather scared by the woman's jaunty,impudent manner. "I only wanted to take a photo."
"Cross the gipsy's hand first, lady, before you take her photo. Don'tyou want to know the future, lady? I can read something in your facethat will surprise you. Just a shilling, lady--only a shilling!"
The rest of the tribe were approaching the trap and begging fromRaymonde, looking so rough and importunate that the girls began to bethoroughly alarmed, and afraid for the safety of the money they hadbrought with them. Aveline regretted her folly in having dismountedfrom the gig, and backed towards it again, pestered by the gipsy. Shedid not want a photo now, only to get away as swiftly as possible. Butthat the dark-eyed crew did not seem disposed to allow. A dusky handwas laid on the pony's reins, and a voluble tongue poured forth ajumble of planets and predictions. The situation had grown extremelyunpleasant for the girls, when fortunately a cart was seen coming inthe distance. The gipsies melted away instantly, Aveline jumped intothe trap, and Raymonde whipped up Dandy, who evidently resenting onhis own account the tribe's interference, set off at a swinging pace,and soon left the caravan behind. In another ten minutes they hadreached the outskirts of Ledcombe, and arrived at civilization.
The little country town was one of those sleepy places where you couldalmost shoot a cannon down the High Street without injuring anybody.There were shops with antiquated-looking goods in the windows; amarket hall, closed except on Tuesdays; a church with a picturesquetower, a bank, and a large number of public-houses. It seemed to thegirls as if almost every other building displayed a green dragon, or ared lion, or a black boar, or some other sign to indicate that theexcessive thirst of the inhabitants could be satisfied within.Raymonde felt rather nervous at driving in the town, but fortunately,being a Thursday morning, there was little traffic in the streets. Hadit been market day she might have got into difficulties. She satoutside in the gig while Aveline went into the shops and purchased thevarious commodities on Miss Jones's list. These were so many, that bythe time everything had been bought the gig was crammed tooverflowing, leaving only just room for the two girls. Raymonde satwith her feet on a sack of potatoes, Aveline clutched the big basketsfull of loaves and vegetables, while parcels were piled up on thefloor and on the seat. Their business had taken them longer than theyexpected, and the church clock warned them that they must hurry if thepotatoes were to be cooked in time for dinner. As soon as they wereclear of the town, Raymonde attempted to communicate the urgency ofthe case to Dandy. Her efforts were in vain, however. That faithlessquadruped utterly refused to proceed faster than an ambling jog-trot,and took no notice of whipping, prodding or poking, beyond flickinghis ears as if he thought the flies were troublesome.
"We shall never get back to the camp at this rate," lamented Raymonde."What are we to do?"
"Geordie suggested 'cuss words'," grinned Aveline. "I expect that'swhat Dandy's accustomed to from most of his drivers."
"Don't suppose he'd be particular as to the exact words," saidRaymonde. "Probably it's the tone of voice that does it. Let's waittill he gets to the top of this hill, then I'll prod him again, andwe'll both growl out 'Go on!' and see if it has any effect."
"If it hasn't, I shall lead him and run by his head. It would bequicker than this pace."
"We'll try shouting first. Here we are at the top of the hill. Now,both together, in the gruffest voice you can muster. Are you ready?One--two--three--GO ON, DANDY!"
Whether it was really the result of the deep bass tones, or Raymonde'sunexpected prod, or merely the fact that they had arrived at thesummit of the slope, the girls could not determine, but the effect onthe pony was instantaneous. He gathered all four legs together, andgave a sudden jump, apparently of apprehension, then set off down thehill as fast as he could tear.
"Hold him in!" yelled Aveline, alarmed at such an access of speed.
"I'm trying to!" replied Raymonde, pulling at the reins as hard as herarms would allow.
Dandy, however, seemed determined for once to show his paces, and tookno more notice of Raymonde's checking than he had previously done ofher urgings. The little trap was flying like the wind, when withoutthe least warning a most unanticipated thing happened. The worn, crazyold straps of the harness broke, and the pony, giving a wrench thatalso snapped the reins, ran straight out of the shafts. The gigpromptly fell forward, precipitating both girls, amid a shower ofparcels, into the road, where they sat for a moment or two almostdazed with the shock, watching the retreating heels of Dandy as hefled in terror of the dangling straps that were hitting him on theflanks.
"Are you hurt?" asked Raymonde at last, getting up and tenderlyfeeling her scraped shins.
"No, only rather bruised--and astonished," replied Aveline.
Then the humour of the situation seemed to strike both, for they burstinto peals of laughter.
"What are we to do with the trap?" said Aveline. "We can't drag itback ourselves. And what about the pony? He's playing truant!"
"And Mr. Rivers said he was so quiet and well-behaved that a baby inarms could drive him!" declared Raymonde, much aggrieved.
"Well, they shouldn't patch their harness with bits of string!" saidAveline. "It's very unsafe. I noticed it before we started out, but Isupposed it would be all right. Hallo! Here's Dandy back! Somebody'scaught him!"
It was the gipsy woman who made her appearance, leading the pony. Shelooked rather scared, and much relieved when she saw Raymonde andAveline standing safe and sound in the middle of the road.
"I thought for sure someone
was killed!" she remarked when she reachedthe scene of the accident. Though the girls had been frightened of herbefore, they were glad to see her now, for they had no notion what todo next. She at once assumed command of the situation, sent one of thechildren, who had followed her, back to the caravan to fetch herhusband, and with his assistance set to work and patched up theharness.
"We're tinkers by trade, lady, so we know how to put in a rivet ortwo, enough to take you safely home, at any rate; but they don't oughtto send that harness out again, it's as rotten as can be. Mr.Rivers's, did you say? Why, it's his farm as we're going to, to pickstrawberries, as soon as we can get there, with our horse lyingdead!"
A fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind, and before the harness wasmended the girls had struck up quite a friendship with the gipsies,which was further cemented by the transference of half a crown fromRaymonde's purse to the brown hand of the woman, and the bestowal ofthe greater part of Aveline's chocolates into the mouths of thedark-eyed children.
Dandy was placed between the shafts once more, and the parcels wererestored to the gig. The girls, being doubtful as to the security ofthe hastily-mended harness, did not venture to mount inside, but ledthe pony by the head, lest he should be inspired to race down anotherhill. It was a slow progress back, and the workers were just returningfrom the fields as they reached the camp. Naturally there were nopotatoes for dinner that day, though Raymonde and Avelinecongratulated themselves that the bread was just in time. They werethe heroines of the hour when they related their adventures, and evenMiss Gibbs did not scold them, though they afterwards heard herremarking to Miss Hoyle that Miss Jones was a poor manager, and oughtto make better arrangements about catering.
"Gibbie's got to let fly at somebody!" chuckled Raymonde. "If it can'tbe us, it's someone else, but she'd better not try criticizing MissJones's methods to her face, or there'll be fighting in the camp."
"Wouldn't I like to see a match between them!" sighed Aveline. "I'dstake my all on Gibbie, any day!"
"I don't know," said Raymonde reflectively. "Gibbie has fire andspirit, and powers of sarcasm, and traditions of Scotch ancestry; butthere's a suggestion of icy stubbornness about Miss Jones that lookscapable of standing out against anybody with bulldog grit. I believeI'd back Miss Jones, if it came to the point!"