Page 34 - English Expedition Class 4

the same kind of nice clothes they had always worn. Then, in June came three wet
days and it became very cold. Nobody could go out and everybody shivered. The three
children went up to their mother’s room and knocked on the door.
‘Well, what is it?’ asked their mother from inside.

‘Mother,’ said Bobbie, ‘may I light a fire? I know how to do it.’
Mother replied, ‘No, my dear. We mustn’t light a fire in June – as coal is very
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expensive. If you’re cold, go and play in the attic . That’ll warm you up.’
‘But, Mother, it takes very little coal to make a fire.’

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‘It’s more than we can afford , dear,’ said Mother, cheerfully. ‘Now run along, my
darlings – I’m madly busy!’
‘Mother’s always busy now,’ whispered Phyllis to Peter. Peter did not answer.
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He shrugged his shoulders. He was thinking.
He said to his sisters, ‘I have an idea.’
‘What’s that?’ they asked.
‘I shan’t tell you,’ was Peter’s unexpected reply.
‘Oh, very well, then!’ said Bobbie; and Phil said, ‘Don’t, then.’

‘The only reason why I won’t tell you my idea is because it may be wrong and
I don’t want to drag you both into it,’ said Peter.
‘So, don’t do it if it’s wrong, Peter,’ said Bobbie, ‘let me do it.’
Phyllis said, ‘I should like to do wrong if you’re going to!’

‘If Mother asks where I am, say I’m playing at the mines,’ said Peter.
‘What sort of mines?’
‘You just say mines.’
‘You might tell us, Peter.’

‘Well, then, coal-mines. But don’t you say anything about it.’
‘You needn’t threaten,’ said Bobbie, ‘and I do think you might let us help.’
‘If I find the coal-mine, you shall help cart the coal,’ Peter agreed.
Two days later, at twilight, Peter asked his sisters to come with him to the bottom

of the hill. ‘Come here with me,’ he said, ‘and bring the Roman Chariot.’ They took
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the old pram with them. There, between some rocks, lay a heap of coal. The children
carted the coal up the hill in the pram with great difficulty as it was so heavy. This
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ritual was followed for almost a week.
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‘I wonder how the coal has lasted so long this week!’ remarked Mother. ‘This is
after we have been lighting the fire every day too.’

3 attic: a space or room under the roof of a house 6 pram: a cart to carry babies; The children had named their
4 aff ord: (here) have enough money to buy something old pram the Roman Chariot.
5 shrugged: raised one’s shoulders showing no interest 7 ritual: a regular activity
8 remarked: said
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