Dickson listened sympathetically, and lingered by the fire.

He felt stiff from yesterday's exercise, and the edge was off his spirit.
The start was not quite what he had pictured.

His pack seemed heavier, his boots tighter, and his pipe drew badly.

The first miles were all uphill, with a wind tingling his ears, and no colours in the landscape but brown and grey.

Suddenly he awoke to the fact that he was dismal, and thrust the notion behind him.