thought of anything to say to throw the enemy off the scent when
they got into a tight place.

They said 'Yes, please', and 'No, thank you'; and they ate very
neatly, and always wiped their mouths before they drank, as well as
after, and never spoke with them full.

And after dinner it got worse and worse.

We got out all our books and they said 'Thank you', and didn't look
at them properly. And we got out all our toys, and they said
'Thank you, it's very nice' to everything. And it got less and
less pleasant, and towards teatime it came to nobody saying
anything except Noel and H. O.--and they talked to each other about
cricket.

After tea Father came in, and he played 'Letters' with them and the
girls, and it was a little better; but while late dinner was going
on--I shall never forget it. Oswald felt like the hero of a
book--'almost at the end of his resources'. I don't think I was
ever glad of bedtime before, but that time I was.

When they had gone to bed (Daisy had to have all her strings and
buttons undone for her, Dora told me, though she is nearly ten, and
Denny said he couldn't sleep without the gas being left a little
bit on) we held a council in the girls' room. We all sat on the
bed--it is a mahogany fourposter with green curtains very good for
tents, only the housekeeper doesn't allow it, and Oswald said--

'This is jolly nice, isn't it?'