And it got less and less pleasant, and towards teatime it came to nobody saying anything except Noel and H.
O .-- and they talked to each other about cricket.
After tea Father came in, and he played 'Letters' with them and the girls, and it was a little better; but while late dinner was going on--I shall never forget it.

Oswald felt like the hero of a book--'almost at the end of his resources'.

I don't think I was ever glad of bedtime before, but that time I was.
When they had gone to bed (Daisy had to have all her strings and buttons undone for her, Dora told me, though she is nearly ten, and Denny said he couldn't sleep without the gas being left a little bit on) we held a council in the girls' room.

We all sat on the bed--it is a mahogany fourposter with green curtains very good for tents, only the housekeeper doesn't allow it, and Oswald said-- 'This is jolly nice, isn't it ?' 'They'll be better to-morrow,' Alice said, 'they're only shy.' Dicky said shy was all very well, but you needn't behave like a perfect idiot.
'They're frightened.

You see we're all strange to them,' Dora said.
'We're not wild beasts or Indians; we shan't eat them.