Winnie took the hint, and adjusted her shoelaces with elaborate care and deliberation.
"Don't be all day over that," said Miss Teddington, who passed by but did not wait.
The moment she was round the corner of the road, and the high hedge screened her from view, the three deserters were through the gate and running across the field.

They scaled a wall without much difficulty, and found themselves on a wide gorse-grown pasture.

Though they could not now see the chimneys of The Woodlands in the distance, there were other landmarks quite sufficient to guide them.

They plodded on cheerfully.
"It would be prime to have our snowdrops all packed up before the others got back," ventured Hattie.

"They'd be so surprised.