“Oh, no, just pleasantly cool. I don’t think there’s a doubt about its having its source higher up in the mountains; but whether it has dived down for a few hundred yards or a few miles we can only know by exploring.”
“Well, Cross,” I said to the carpenter, “will this be fun enough for you?”
“Splendid, sir,” said the man enthusiastically. “I never had a treat like this.”
“Master Nat,” whispered Pete, “am I to come too?”
“Of course,” I said. “Tuck up your trousers as high as you can.”
“But suppose we have to swim, sir?”
“Look here, Pete,” I said, “you don’t want to come.”
“No, sir. Can’t help it, sir, but I never could a-bear the dark.”
“Then I’ll ask my uncle to let you stop behind.”
“What!” cried the poor fellow fiercely, “leave me behind, and you go? That you just won’t, sir. I’d go if it was twice as dark.”