"Oh, that's too bad!" cried Sue.
"Not at all," said Tom. "I like it. Afterward I'll take a swim in the clean part of the lake and wash off."
So, wet and muddy as he was, his clothes covered with slime from the bottom of the creek, Tom kept on gathering the lilies. Once he found a mud turtle which he tossed into the boat for Bunny. The turtle seemed to go to sleep in a corner.
"There's a nice bunch for you," said Tom, coming back to the boat with the flowers for the little girl.
"Oh, thank you, so much!" said Sue. "But I'm sorry you got wet."
"I'm not. These clothes needed washing anyhow," laughed Tom.
With that Tom pushed the boat off the mud bar, and down the creek into deeper water, the children sitting on the seats.
"Now I'll tie you to shore, go in swimming in this clean water, and row you home after I've dried out a bit," said Tom. So he went in swimming with all his clothes on, except his shoes and socks, and soon he was clean.
"Mother will be so glad to get the pond lilies," said Sue.
"And I guess she'll be glad to get my fish," said Bunny. "There's 'most enough for dinner."