“All right?” he asked, softly.
“Yes,” she answered.
He turned to find her looking up at him from the level of the stream, which came just beneath her chin. The light of the stars reflected on the water crowned her with a misty halo, and again he read in her face that sweet and tremulous appeal for respect and understanding which had so moved him once before. It moved him far more deeply now; but he managed to bite back the words which leaped to his lips and to speak almost casually—as though situations such as this were the most ordinary in the world.
“Have you got a firm grip of the handle?”
“Yes.”
He assured himself that both bundles of clothing were secure.
“All ready, then,” he said. “Just hold on and let your body float out in the water. Don’t hold your head too high, and if you feel your hands slipping call me at once. I don’t want to lose you, little comrade!”
“I will remember,” she promised, smiling gratefully up at him.
“Then here we go,” and he pushed the box slowly out into the stream.
In a moment the water was at his chin.