They climbed over the gate, and made for the tree, where they sat down on the grass.
"How jolly Uncle Charlie's stories were," sighed Humphrey; "how I wish we could hear them all over again. It's a great pity father ever told me not to climb the bough that sticks out. It would have been the very thing to crawl along, like the man in that story. Father says its rotten and unsafe. I think he must make a mistake; it looks as strong as possible!"
He sighed again, and there was a long pause.
Presently he resumed. "I don't see why we shouldn't go and look. It would be so cool by the pond."
"Oh! Humphie, please don't. We shall lose our way, and Virginie will be so angry."
"But I know the way quite well from here, Miles. It was only because we started from Dyson's cottage that I lost it before."
"But, Humphie, if we get wet again! I promised Fardie not to get ill."
"The rain made you wet, Miles, not the pond; and it's not going to rain to-day. Look what a blue sky!"
The two little brothers gazed upwards. It was clear overhead, but there was a suspicious bank of clouds in the distance.