"Oh, the folks on the river. You'll see plenty of them if you stay here long enough."
Juliet was not much the wiser; she had heard of mermaids, and thought at first that the folks on the river must be of that race of beings. But she waited to see.
Then Mrs. Rowles said that Juliet must make herself useful, and might begin by fetching some water from the well.
Juliet did not know what a well might be; but she took up a jug and went out to the riverside. There was a boat pulled up to the bank on the side of the island away from the towing-path, and as all she thought about was the fact that she was to bring water, she climbed into the boat, over the thwarts, and up to the stern. As she crept along she saw in the shadowed water at the side of the boat a vast number of little fish playing together, and, like any other child, she wanted to catch some of them. She dipped the jug down among them, as she supposed, but alas! instead of winning the minnows she lost the jug! The handle grew slippery when wet, and away it went out of her hand, falling with a crash on a big stone, and lying in fragments on the gravel beneath the water.
Juliet was in consternation. "I say, what a scolding I shall get! Even mother used to scold a little sometimes when I smashed so much crockery. And Aunt Emma—and that dreadful cross Uncle Rowles—!"
The child gasped for breath, but returned indoors where her aunt was putting away the remains of the breakfast.
"Why, Juliet, child, you look scared. Have you fetched the water?"
"No, aunt; 'cause I've broke the jug."
"Broke the jug! What jug?"
"The jug I took to get the water in. As soon as ever I put it in the river it just slipped away and went into pieces."