“Well, then he can swim out. You can swim, can’t you?”
“No, no, no,” said the monk sadly. “I never learned.”
“What a pity!” said Red, laughing.
“You ought to have learned to swim instead of learning so much Latin,” cried Bert.
“There isn’t time to learn everything, my boys,” said the monk sadly. “I’m obliged to try and teach you all: the King and Queen sent for me that I might. Please help me out.”
“We’re not going to,” cried Bald. “Come along, boys. He ought to have learned to swim.”
Bald began to move away, and the monk groaned again.
“Come along, Fred,” cried Bert, and the monk turned his head sidewise so as to look piteously at the youngest boy.
“No, I’m not coming. I’m going to stop and help Father Swythe.”
“Hah!” sighed the monk, and he squeezed Alfred’s hand.