There was no answer to Amelia's words at first but then after a few moments Elliott came from behind the tree, grunting under the weight of dirt in his shovel. Not until he had dumped the load into the pit and looked up did he see Amelia. "Oh." He said out of breath, "How are *pant* you doing *pant* Amelia, how the *pant* Ankle?" He shoved the shovel deep into the earth and sat down on the edge of the pit himself, wiping the sweat and dirt from his brow.