I did not expect to see him after hearing that he was away at work; but as it happened he was there.
For as I reached the path along by the side of the dam I found myself in the midst of a crowd of women and crying children, all in a state of great excitement concerning something in the dam.
I hurried on to see what was the matter, and to my astonishment there was Gentles on the edge of the dam, armed with an ordinary long broom, with which he was trying to hook something out of the water—what, I could not see, for there was nothing visible.
“Farther in—farther in,” a shrill voice cried, making itself heard over the gabble of fifty others. “My Jenny says he went in theer.”
I was still some distance off, but I could see Gentles the unmistakable splash the broom in again, and then over and over again, while women were wringing their hands, and giving bits of advice which seemed to have no effect upon Gentles, who kept splashing away with the broom.
Just then a tall figure in bonnet and shawl came hurrying from the other end of the path, and joined the group about the same time as I did.
There was no mistaking Mrs Gentles without her voice, which she soon made heard.
“Whose bairn is it?” she cried loudly, and throwing off her bonnet and shawl as she spoke.
“Thine—it’s thy little Esau—playing on the edge—got shoved in,” was babbled out by a dozen women; while Gentles did not speak, but went on pushing in the broom, giving it a mow round like a scythe, and pulling it out.
“Wheer? Oh, my gracious!” panted Mrs Gentles, “wheer did he go in?”