Dawn leant across to her mysteriously, and his blue eyes flashed with eagerness.
"I'll tell you something. When we've done this, we won't go through the river, but we'll go over it. I've found out something! It'll be scrumptious!"
"What do you mean?"
"There's a boat tied to the bushes here. It's only a few yards away. I rowed dad across one day when he was fishing. It's always much nicer the other side of a thing! Make haste, Tina, there! That's the last plate, and we'll put them in a heap here and take them up to the trap later on. Now, you follow me, and we'll be Red Indians in a canoe, and go sailing down the river, and then land in a strange country. Come on!"
He danced off, and Christina, feeling a sinking of heart, followed him. When she saw the boat she protested:
"I'm sure we oughtn't to, Dawn; it isn't ours. Don't touch it, you'll be drowned."
Dawn laughed merrily.
"It doesn't matter whose it is, we shan't hurt it, and we'll put it back. It's kept here to use, I know it is."
He was busy untying the rope as he spoke. Christina was suddenly beset by an agony of fear.
"I'm sure it isn't right, we oughtn't to do it."