Untitled - Beeldbibliotheek

THE DOMESTIC SIDE 25of practice I cannot keep them still. There isno more baffling problem in a caravan than theprevention of the twin visitations of jibbing andchittering. The wind cannot be entirely to blame :I often feel that it is no more than a pretext.Forthe thingisbrought about by some sort of evilconspiracy among my goods and chattels. Otherwisehow is it that an oil-can on a hook will remainsilent for half the tour and then suddenly lift upits voice in the dead of night in response to thegentle knocking of the frying-pan against thekitchen wall ?Of all the adversities that we have to face thisis the only one that reduces me to despair. Forthings only jib and chitter in the night, and theynever start till the light is out. I am thinking ofa night at Melvich, on the way to John o' Groat's,when we were in an exposed position and the windwas high. I waited and listened long beforeputting out the candle and I found about me thesilence of the tomb. But a quarter of an hourlater, just when I was on the verge of sleep, thefun began. I heard a subdued and rhythmiccreaking just below my head. That was theroller swinging. Had I been new to the game Isuppose I should have got up at once and silencedit, but I knew better. I faced the fact that I was