"Perhaps your river was rather different from ours," I said, colouring at the slight cast upon my father's boat. "You forget that this is a tidal river; there's only a small part of it fit for a boat at all at low water, and if there's much wind it runs like a racehorse just past our back-water to the bay."
"All right, captain, we beg your boat's pardon, and as it is so big we will make good use of it. You shall come out fishing with us," said Rupert, marching out of the room as if he considered that his word was law, instead of mine.
I know I was very naughty, but I had perfect confidence in my two bearers; and when Kathleen had tried to find mother all over the house and failed, I let my wishes silence my conscience and said, "All right, I'll come if you will put me in carefully; but mind, I don't know anything about boating."
"Oh, Rupert knows enough for all of us. Father says he can manage a boat as well as he can. Let's get some food out of our cupboard and start at once."
Our den was always well provided with eatables, so there was no difficulty on that score, and the dread of being stopped at the last moment made me hurry them all as much as possible. I was quite relieved when Rupert appeared with my hat and a plaid.
"We'll take this in case it gets cool. Now, then, Kathleen. Heave ahoy!"
I was carried down those stairs more rapidly than I had ever been before. I shut my eyes and bit my lips to avoid showing how frightened I was. When I looked up I was in the bottom of the boat. Harold, with loving thoughtfulness, had put in some cushions, and I felt as comfortable as on my sofa.
"Push her off, Jack." Jack did it skilfully, and sprang in just as my heart came into my mouth for fear he should fall into the water.
"Hurrah!" they all cried, at the top of their voices, but my cheer was a feeble one; I had caught sight of something in the bows, and if there is one thing I have hated all my life it is a gun.
"What have you got that for?" I said to Rupert.