However, by taking great care he managed to get through the town all right, although he narrowly escaped colliding with several vehicles, including two or three motor cars and an electric tram, besides nearly knocking over an old woman who was carrying a large bundle of washing.

From time to time he saw other small boys of his acquaintance, some of them former schoolmates.

Some of these passed by carrying heavy loads of groceries in baskets, and others with wooden trays full of joints of meat.
Unfortunately, the wood paving ceased at the very place where the ground began to rise.

Bert now found himself at the beginning of a long stretch of macadamized road which rose slightly and persistently throughout its whole length.

Bert had pushed a cart up this road many times before and consequently knew the best method of tackling it.
Experience had taught him that a full frontal attack on this hill was liable to failure, so on this occasion he followed his usual plan of making diagonal movements, crossing the road repeatedly from right to left and left to right, after the fashion of a sailing ship tacking against the wind, and halting about every twenty yards to rest and take breath.