“Why, hey, Vane Lee, my lad, she’s too big enew. She’ll sink the boat.”
“Oh, no,” cried Vane. “It looks heavier than it is.”
“Won’t be much room for me,” said the miller, with a chuckle.
“You mustn’t come,” cried Vane in alarm. “Only Macey and I are going in the boat. We work the pedals and hand cranks. This is only an experiment to see if it will go.”
“Hey bood she’ll goo reight enew,” said the miller, seriously, “if I get in. Reight to the bottom, and the mill ’ll be to let.”
There was a roar of laughter at this, and Macey whispered:—
“I say, Weathercock, if they’re going to chaff like this I shall cut off.”
“No, no, don’t be a coward,” whispered back Vane; “it’s only their fun. It don’t hurt.”
“Oh, doesn’t it. I feel as if gnats were stinging me.”