goes too. He's a careful and very capable old sport, and Janet's as good a
mother as you any day."

Mrs. Avory laughed. "Yes, I know that," she said. "But what about gypsies
and tramps?"

"One has always got to take a few chances," said Uncle Christopher. "They
may get things stolen now and then from the outside of the caravan, but I
should doubt if anything else happened. Kink and a good dog would see to
that. And Janet would see to the children keeping dry, or getting dry
quickly after rain, and so forth. Such an experience as a fortnight in a
caravan of their own should be a splendid thing for all of them. Gregory,
for example--it's quite time that he studied the A B C of engineering and
began where James Watt began, instead of merely profiting by the efforts of
all the investigators since then. I mean, it's quite time he watched a
kettle boil; and Hester would get no harm by mixing a little washing-up
with her 'Romeo and Juliet' wool-gathering."

"I think you're right," said Mrs. Avory; "and I'm sure they are very
unlikely to get any such experience here. But I shall be very nervous "

"No, you won't," said Mr. Lenox, "because we'll arrange that you shall have
news. I have thought of that. A telegram every morning at breakfast and a
telegram every evening after tea. That will be perfectly simple. And
letters, of course."

In this way it was settled that the Great Experiment might be tried,
especially as so wise a woman as Collins and so old an ally as Runcie were
not against it. Both, indeed. were of Uncle Christonher's opinion that the
self-help and self-reliance which the caravan would lead to would be of the