“Hooray!” said Harry, “jump into your clothes, boys, and we’ll run down to the village and be back before breakfast’s ready.”
In another quarter of an hour, the lads passed through the gate, and stood in the lane leading to the village. Such a bright fine morning, the sun gilding all the trees, and the birds singing away more merrily than ever. The boys had looked at the clock as they descended the staircase, and it was only five; so, as they had plenty of time upon their hands to reach the village, they sauntered slowly along, having only two miles to go.
“I say,” said Harry, “let’s cross the fields and go round by the back lane; we shall then go over the shallows, and Fred has never seen the stepping-stones.”
“How much farther is it?” said Fred.
“Only about a mile,” was the reply.
Off they went, over the stile, and then across the dewy grass, over more fields, glittering in the morning sunlight, and then down into the back lane.
“Tuck up your trousers, boys,” said Harry, setting the example; and then when that preliminary was arranged, splish, splash, they went along the wet path.
A splendid lane that was for a walk, always under water, with quite a stream flowing in parts, and shaded on either side by high hedges and banks. It was always considered impassable, except in very dry weather and in carts. But mischievous boys rather liked the back lane; there was some fun in going along it, for it was nearly always half-way up the boots, and then the water splashed so capitally when you ran down it. Besides which, there were rats there, and stray sticklebacks: and the nicest, smoothest, and roundest pebbles for throwing to be got anywhere; besides, boots and feet soon get dry again in the summer-time; and, after all, a good bit of fun is worth all the wet boots in the world—at least, boys of twelve and thirteen think so.
“Is it all wet, like this?” said Fred, rather taken aback at the appearance of the place.
“Rat! rat! rat!” roared Harry, a cry taken up by Philip; and away they splashed, running upon their toes in chase of the long-tailed burrower. But Rat never went very far from his residence in the day-time; and, consequently, he showed the hunters only just the tip of his tail for a moment, as he dived into his hole, and was gone. A little further on the lane became dry again, and continued so, with the exception of a little rivulet at the side, where the water was dimpling and glittering over the stones, washed clean and smooth, and amongst which the boys soon found plenty of those curious little fish, the stone loaches, for the most part lying snugly beneath some great pebble, which had to be turned over to effect their capture.