Betty turned round and saw a man in a straw hat with a green and black ribbon leaning over the bridge.
"Yes, it is," she said, blushing scarlet, but speaking quite unconcernedly, "he ought to be working. I shall blow him up for it."
"Shall we turn round? He hasn't spotted us yet."
"Turn round? Whatever for? You don't suppose I'm frightened of John, do you?"
"I don't know. You look rather as if you were."
"Of course I'm not. But I don't know what he will think, and I should look so idiotic if I began to explain."
"What about that backwater?"
"Is it very pretty?"
"Yes, very. Hold your umbrella towards the bridge as we go round the corner and he won't see you. I'll pull my hat over my face."
So the canoe glided under the little wooden bridge and into the still, shaded water beyond.