Night approached. Already the sun's disk was disappearing beneath the horizon.
The ladies were carried in their companions' arms, and reached the shore without wetting a single fold of their garments.
"My lord," replied the young captain, "is deceived by an optical illusion. The apparent onward movement is only an oscillation of the water, nothing more. Throw a piece of wood into the water, and you will see that it will remain stationary, so long as the ebb is not felt. We must therefore have patience."
"And dinner," added the major.