She looked at me , but I blushed to the roots of my hair and shook my head sheepishly . An awkward pause ensued ; it looked as if we would have to proceed without grace , when Felix suddenly shut his eyes , bent his head , and said a very good grace without any appearance of embarrassment . We looked at him when it was over with an increase of respect . `` Where on earth did you learn that , Felix ? '' I asked . `` It 's the grace Uncle Alec says at every meal , '' answered Felix . We felt rather ashamed of ourselves . Was it possible that we had paid so little attention to Uncle Alec 's grace that we did not recognize it when we heard it on other lips ? `` Now , '' said Felicity jubilantly , `` let 's eat everything up . '' In truth , it was a merry little feast . We had gone without our dinners , in order to `` save our appetites , '' and we did ample justice to Felicity 's good things . Paddy sat on the Pulpit Stone and watched us with great yellow eyes , knowing that tidbits would come his way later on . Many witty things were said -- or at least we thought them witty -- and uproarious was the laughter . Never had the old King orchard known a blither merrymaking or lighter hearts . The picnic over , we played games until the early falling dusk , and then we went with Uncle Alec to the back field to burn the potato stalks -- the crowning delight of the day . The stalks were in heaps all over the field , and we were allowed the privilege of setting fire to them . 'T was glorious ! In a few minutes the field was alight with blazing bonfires , over which rolled great , pungent clouds of smoke . From pile to pile we ran , shrieking with delight , to poke each up with a long stick and watch the gush of rose-red sparks stream off into the night . In what a whirl of smoke and firelight and wild , fantastic , hurtling shadows we were !
When we grew tired of our sport we went to the windward side XXXXX the field and perched ourselves on the high pole fence that skirted a dark spruce wood , full of strange , furtive sounds .
In at of on over that to until with without