"Oh," said he, "but I am not doing any hurt. Only see what a quantity of nice strawberries I have got in my hat: if you will hold your frock, I will throw you some."
"No, Sidney," said she, "they do not belong to us: we have no right to any of them."
"Why, if I did not pluck them the birds would, and you know the owner of the wood cannot hinder them," answered Sidney.
"Well, then," said Juliet, "consider how you are robbing the pretty robin redbreasts and the blackbirds of their food. Come back, come back, Sydney, for papa is close by."
"Wait a minute," said he.
"Make haste, then."
"Here I am," said he, jumping across the ditch, which, unfortunately for him, was at that part half full of dirty water, and the opposite side high and slippery. Just as he had gained the edge of the bank his feet slipped, and he fell back into the water up to his middle, and his new trowsers were dirted all over. With some trouble he contrived to scramble out, by the assistance of his sisters; and whilst they were trying to fish out his hat, which unfortunately had fallen into the ditch, and was now sailing about with the unlucky strawberries in it, Mr. Fletcher and Charles came up to where Sidney stood, dripping with wet, and wringing the water from his jacket.
"How is this, Sidney?" inquired his father: "have you been learning to swim in this clear stream with your clothes on?"
Sidney felt very much ashamed, for he did not like to confess how foolishly he had acted, and happening at this moment to recollect the silver pen, he conceived it was certainly lost: he therefore hung down his head and began to cry bitterly.
"Come, Sidney," said his father, "do not be such a baby as to cry: if you did fall into the ditch it cannot be helped; I dare say it was accidental."