We stopped at a garden-gate: it was open, but there was no one about.

Cicely lifted the latch of the door to step in, country fashion, but it was locked; and, hearing the noise, a cat came mewing round the corner.

As if they had started out of the ground, a brown-faced boy and a thin girl suddenly appeared, having come through the hedge.
'Thaay be up to barken' (rickyard), said the boy: so we went on to the next door.

It was locked too, but the key was in the lock outside.
Cicely said that was a signal to callers that the wife had only gone out for a few minutes and would return soon.

The children had followed us.
'Where is she ?' asked Cicely.
'Hur be gone to dipping-place,' replied the boy.