"That's a perch," Tom told the children. "They're good to eat, too. But now we'll row up for the lilies."
However, in spite of the fact that their boat did not take much water, it ran aground before it reached the lilies.
"Oh, how are we going to get them?" asked Sue, in disappointment.
"I'll wade after them," said Tom. "I can take off my shoes and socks. The water won't be much more than up to my knees after I get over the mud bar on which the boat has stuck."
Tom was soon wading in the mud and water, his trousers well rolled up. He was just reaching for one very large lily when he gave a sudden call, threw up his hands and sank down out of sight.
"Oh, Tom's gone! He's drowned!" cried Sue.
"We've got to save him!" shouted Bunny, struggling with the oars. But the boat was fast in the mud, and he could not move it.
"What shall we do?" gasped Sue.
Before Bunny could answer, Tom's head appeared above the muddy water. He had hold of the pond lily.
"I'm all right," he said. "I stepped on the edge of a hole under the water, and it was so slippery I went down in before I knew it. But the deepest part is only over my waist, and now that I'm wet I might as well stay and get all the lilies you wish."