'And about the tide?' said Lance.
'Tide,' said Charlie, looking at his watch—'tide wouldn't think of playing us such a dirty trick as turning for an hour and a half.'
'And the jolliest beasts of all always live in places like that,' added Somerville. 'Come on, President of the Society for the Suppression of Shoeses—to the front!'
On moved the august Society, now scrambling to a dry flat, now threading a mauvais pas, clinging to festoons of sea-weed; the three little boys climbed like monkeys or sailors; but Lance, agile as he was, had not had the same amount of training, and felt besides that it was requisite to be ready to give a helping hand to Miss Gertrude. She got on very well, being full of lightness and springiness, only she was a little inclined to be adventurous, and to chatter at critical moments.
'We must have got out a quarter of a mile.'
'Oh no, not that!'
'No? I'm sure it is! How small they look on the beach! I wonder if they can see us! Hark! they're singing—'
'"Drink to me only with thine eyes;" that's Felix's crack glee,' said Lance; 'what fun for him!'
'This is much better fun!' cried the general voice. 'They'll never see us if we wave now!'
'No, no; don't let's wave now! Wait till we get to the farthest point.'