"Yes, sir"; and he said, "That's right. Look after 'em. It'll be a load
off my mind to know they've got a man on the premises. It's right lonely
up here." And I told him we wasn't afraid. I asked him if he needed any
help, but he said no, and he was so terrible big and strong that he
lifted the trunks as if they were boxes.

After he had gone, Aunty Edith said she must unpack, and Aunty May said,
"Do, Edith; Billy and I will do the dishes."

So Aunty May tied a big clean towel around my waist, and she washed and
I dried. There was no running water, just a pump outside the kitchen
shed, right out of doors.

[Illustration: She washed and I dried]

I pumped for Aunty May and we had a lovely time. We played a game with
the dishes. Plates were ladies and saucers were little girls, and cups
were little boys, and knives and forks were policemen and spoons were
servants. We had a lot of fun, when the knives and forks marched round
the table, and ordered the other dishes into the cupboard.

After that was done, Aunty May said she must go upstairs and help Aunty
Edith, and unpack her own typewriter. Aunty May writes stories, too,
only she uses a typewriter and I use a pencil.

Aunty May asked me whether I'd sit in the window seat and read a
picture-book or would I explore the garden. I said I would do both; look
at pictures a little while and go in the garden. Aunty May made me
promise not to go too near the river, or too far down the towpath.