Chapter 5 THE FIRST NIGHT - AND A MORNING VISITOR
'What's the time?' said Julian, looking at his watch. 'Good gracious - it's almost eight o'clock!
Anyone feel tired?'
'Yes,' said Dick, Anne and George, and even Timmy joined in with his deepest 'Woof'.
'With all that bicycling and then pushing that heavy cart up the hill, I can hardly move!' said Dick. 'Ivote we have a simple supper - something out of Anne's little larder¹ - and then spread our rugs oversome thick heather and sleep under the sky. Even up here, with a breeze, it's warm. I should be stifledin a tent.'
'Well, we're all agreed on that,' said Julian. 'Anne, what do you suggest for a light supper?'
'Bread, butter and some of Mrs. Thomas's farm cheese,' said Anne promptly². 'With a tomato or two ifyou like - and icy-cold milk and Benny's strawberries to finish with. That is - if the milk has had timeto get cold in the little hole under the spring.'
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'Sounds jolly good,' said Julian. 'What do you think, Timmy? Anne, if you and George get the supperready, Dick and I will prepare our heathery beds. Then we can all turn in as soon as possible. Ihonestly feel that once I sit down or lie down I'll not be able to get up again!'
'Same here,' said Dick, and went off with Julian to find the best place for sleeping. They soon foundone. They came across a giant of a gorse bush, thick, prickly and still full of golden blooms. In frontof it was a stretch of very close-set heather, as springy as the best mattress³ in the world. Dick satdown on it and grinned at Julian.
'Just made for us!' he said. 'We shall sleep like tops here. We hardly need a rug to lie on, it's so close-grown. Help me up, Ju - my legs won't do anything now I've sat down!'
Julian pulled him up and they called to the girls: 'Anne! George! Bring the supper here. We've founda good place. It's by this giant gorse bush.'
The girls came along with the meal, and the boys fetched a couple of rugs from the pile of things thatthey had brought in the hand-cart. They spread them on the heather.
'I say! This certainly is a good place,' said George, coming up with Anne and Timmy, carrying a loafof bread, a pat of butter and tomatoes. Anne had the milk and the cheese. Timmy was carrying a littlebag of his own biscuits.
'The gorse bush will shelter us from too much wind,' said Dick, taking the milk from Anne. 'It's anideal spot - and the view is superb.'
It was a very happy supper they had, sitting in the heather, while the sun sank lower and lower in thewest. The evenings were very light now, and certainly they would not need candles! They finished upeverything, and then went to wash at the little spring that bubbled out so cheerfully.

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