Chapter 3 THE COTTAGE ON THE HILL - AND WILFRID
Next day the children prepared to go and see the cottage belonging to Mrs. Layman¹. 'You comingtoo, Mother?' asked Julian. 'We'd like your advice!'
'Well no, dear,' said his mother. 'I've rather a lot to do - there's a meeting on at the Village Hall, and Ipromised to go to it.'
'You're full of good works, Mother,' said Julian, giving her a hug. 'All right, we'll go by ourselves. Idaresay we shall know at once whether we'd like to stay in the cottage - or not. Also, 10we MUST know what this Wilfrid is like! It's a quarter to ten, and George is already here, withTimmy. I'll call the others and we'll get our bikes.'
Soon the four were on their bicycles, with Timmy, as usual, running alongside, his long tongue out,his eyes bright and happy. This was Timmy's idea of perfect happiness - to be with the four childrenall day long!
They went along a road that ran on the top of a hill. They swung round a corner - and there, spreadfar below them, was a great sea-vista that included a wonderful harbour, filled with big and littleships. The sea was as blue as the Mediterranean², quite breathtaking. Anne jumped off her bicycle atonce.
'I must just feast my eyes on all this before I go a yard further!' she said. 'What a panorama⁴!
What miles of sea and sky!'
She put her bicycle against a gate and then climbed over and stood by herself, gazing down at theview. Dick joined her.
Then suddenly a voice shouted loudly 'FORE³! FORE!' A small white thing came whizzing throughthe air and landed just by Anne's foot. She jumped in surprise.
'It's a golf-ball,' said Dick. 'No, don't pick it up. Whoever's playing with it, has to come and hit it fromexactly where it fell. Good thing you weren't hit, Anne. I didn't realize that this gate led on to a golf-course!'
'We ought to have a walk over it,' said Anne. 'Just look at those gorse bushes over there, absolutelyflaming with yellow blossom - and all the tiny flowers springing up everywhere -speedwell and coltsfoot and daisies and celandines - beautiful. And oh - what a view!'
'Yes - and if Mrs. Layman's cottage has a view anything like this, I'd certainly like to stay there!'
said Dick. 'Think of getting out of bed in the morning and seeing this enormous view out of thewindow - the harbour - the sea beyond - the hills all round - the great spread of sky...'

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