At such an elevation there was always a strong wind, and at times the kite rose to an enormous height, as well as travelling for great distances laterally.

In fact, the kite became, in a short time, one of the curiosities of Castra Regis and all around it.

Edgar began to attribute to it, in his own mind, almost human qualities.

It became to him a separate entity, with a mind and a soul of its own.

Being idle- handed all day, he began to apply to what he considered the service of the kite some of his spare time, and found a new pleasure--a new object in life--in the old schoolboy game of sending up "runners" to the kite.
The way this is done is to get round pieces of paper so cut that there is a hole in the centre, through which the string of the kite passes.