Untitled - Beeldbibliotheek

ENCOUNTERS 201that it was just the hour when the schoolchildrenwere on their way, straggling down thehill behind us in little groups. Having picked upthe keeper's two children (who had been to seeus, bearing roses, the day before), the least wecould do was to take up their friends as well.And if it came to that, where was one to drawthe line ? The upshot of it was that every childin sight was stowed at last inside SIEGLINDA, fora " grand hurl " to use the local idiom downthe hill. I do not remember how many wecollected en route, but there was a thrilling scenewhen the van drew up at the foot and tumbledout its passengers at the school door.I should like to return to Aberdeenshire sometime before the legend of the doings of SIEGLINDAhas been quite forgotten.Near Coupar Angus we came into the fruitcountry strongly reminiscent of Kent, andtravelled half a day through close-packed fieldsof raspberries, where pickers were busily at work.We had a great farmer as our host that night,the possessor of a laugh that emanated from avast interior and shook his whole frame with anHe was determined that weecstasy of delight.should come in and play the piano, as both hiswife and daughter were miserable performers,