The distance from Oxford to Stratford was thirty-nine miles, and it was decided to do this in three days, which meant thirteen miles a day.The first night, therefore, would be spent near Wooestock, the next near Chipping Norton, and the third near Shipston down in the green meadows on the banks of the Stour.At Stratford they would find Mrs.Avory waiting for them, and stay with her at the Shakespeare Hotel for a day or so.By that time they would know exactly how much or how little they liked the caravan, and what things were necessary; and then Mrs.Avory would go back and they would begin their real adventures.Could anything be better? Although, of course, Robert was very contemptuous of the Shakespeare Hotel part of the programme."The idea of sleeping in a bed!" he said.
The next thing to do was to apportion the various duties.Kink, of course, was arranged for; he was to drive and to look after the horse and sleep as near the caravan as could be managed; while Diogenes was always to be on guard.Kink also was to see about water.
Janet was purser and steward.She had to decide what food was wanted, and to keep the money.Hester was the official letter-writer, and was under a promise to write home every other evening.Robert was the guide and geographer; he kept the maps.He was also the telegraphist.Mary Rotheram, who had taken lessons in cooking, was chief cook, and she was to be helped by Janet.Jack was superintendent of the washing-up, and Horace Campbell was his principal ally.(How tired they got of it!) Jack, Horace, and Robert were carriers between the grocer's, the butcher's, the baker's, and the Slowcoach.
It was arranged that Gregory, being the smallest and weakest, and therefore the least likely to be refused, should go on and ask leave of the farmers on whose land it was proposed to rest the caravan at night.Mary Rotheram should be his companion, and ask for eggs and milk at the same time.
Next came the victualling, and this was exceedingly interesting, although it made great holes in the sovereign box.Janet and Mary Rotheram sat for hours over the Stores List, and they were continually taking important questions to Collins.
"How many tins of mustard ought we to take? A dozen at fourpence? ""Mustard, Miss Mary? Why, two penny ones would be enough for a month."(Three and tenpence saved, you see.)
"I say, Collins, how long do eggs boil?"
"Collins, you have to prick sausages, don't you, or else they burst?""Collins, how many loaves do eight people want a day?""Four, Miss Janet, at the least--large ones.""Including Kink? " Janet explained.
"Oh, Kink too! Five, then, if not six, the old gormandizer.""Collins, what's the best part of beef for stewing?""Collins, you can put anything into a stew, can't you? Absolutely anything?""Collins, if you've put too much pepper into a thing, is there any way of getting it out again?"Mrs.Avory was very particular about tinned things."You must have plenty of tongues," she said, "in case the fire won't burn or the meat is too tough;" and privately she instructed Kink to keep an eye on their eating.
"They must eat, Kink, don't forget.Never mind what they say; make them eat sensibly." To the stores Mrs.Avory herself added a number of tongues and a good deal of plain chocolate.
The day for Kink's departure--at least three days before the others were to leave--at last arrived, and by eleven o'clock everything was ready: Kink was seated on the shafts, with the reins in one hand, and in the other an ancient map of the road from London to Oxford, which Robert had found in one of his father's Road Books, of which there were many in the library, and had carefully traced.It was called _Britannia Depicta;_ OR, _"Ogilby"Improved,_ 1753, and, so that you may see what kind of help Kink was offered, I have had the map reproduced here.Kink, I may say, having some difficulty in reading even the plain print of the morning paper, held the tracing in his hand only so far as he was in sight.He then folded it up and placed it in his pocket, and when he was in any doubt as to the way, asked the first person he met.
Mr.Lenox and Mr.Scott were both there in time to see the start of the Slowcoach, as they had decided to call it.Also present at the start was the greater part of ***** Chiswick and all its children, who filled the street opposite "The Gables" and cheered.Kink accepted their enthusiasm with calm, but as he said afterwards to Collins, "I felt like the Prince of Wales and all the royal family."Both Mr.Scott and Mr.Lenox brought contributions to the Slowcoach's stores.Mr.Scott's was a large bundle of firelighters and twelve dozen boxes of matches."You can't have too many matches," he said.Mr.Lenox's was ointment for blisters.
Uncle Christopher was also there to see the start, and he brought with him an envelope."This envelope," he said, "is not to be opened unless you're in any very serious difficulty.Then open it."And so, in a scene of wild excitement, Kink cracked his whip, Moses strained at the collar, the Slowcoach creaked heavily out of the yard, and its historic journey was begun.
