They had sat down and were hastily pulling off their shoes and stockings.
“Of course,” said he, “we shan’t find anything. It isn’t likely.”
“Well,” she said, “for anything we jolly well know, they may have found her already. Take care how you go over these rocks, they’re awfully slippy.”
“As if I didn’t know that,” said he, and ran across the narrow strip of sand that divided rocks from shingle and set his foot for the first time in The Sea. It was only a shallow little green and white rock pool, but it was the sea all the same.
“I say, isn’t it cold,” said Mavis, withdrawing pink and dripping toes; “do mind how you go—”
“As if I—” said Francis, again, and sat down suddenly and splashingly in a large, clear sparkling pool.
“Now, I suppose we’ve got to go home at once and you change,” said Mavis, not without bitterness.
“Nonsense,” said Francis, getting up with some difficulty and clinging wetly to Mavis to steady himself. “I’m quite dry, almost.”
“You know what colds are like,” said Mavis, “and staying indoors all day, or perhaps bed, and mustard plasters and gruel with butter in it. Oh, come along home, we should never have found the Mermaid. It’s much too bright and light and everyday-ish for anything like magic to happen. Come on home, do.”