I begin to sympathize with Tommies on the march." "Why need we stick to the high road ?" said Rona, pausing suddenly.

"If we struck across country we'd save a mile or more.

Look, The Woodlands is over there, and if we made a beeline for it we'd cut off all that enormous round by Cefn Mawr.

Who's game to try ?" "Oh, I am, if we can dodge Teddie!" "Likewise this child," added Winnie.
"Oh, we'll dodge Teddie right enough! It will be good scouting practice," chuckled Rona.

"Sit down on that stone and tie your shoelace, and we'll wait for you while the others go on; then we'll bolt through that gate and over the wall into the next field." The idea that it was scouting practice lent a vestige of sanction to the proceeding.