“Do you think Georges and Lili are safe together?” asked Paul, as he pushed off the boat from the shore with his scull. “Come, Etienne, keep time.”
“Where are they? Oh, look, there they go, behind that hedge!” cried Frédérique. “Marie, fancy you as elder sister allowing such a thing.”
Marie laughed kindly.
“Oh, let them be happy,” she answered simply.
Etienne made himself very busy, just to hide his want of skill as an oarsman, whilst he made the strongest possible movements with his oar. Paul grew more desperate every moment.
“I say, Etienne, you don’t know anything about it; for heaven’s sake don’t splash like that.”
A shower of spray fell upon them.
“You are soaking me,” said Frédérique indignantly.
“Go along, do you think I can’t row?”
Cateau and Jan laughed at Etienne, and he carried on in such a ridiculous way, that Toosje at last summed up courage to ask Paul to let her have a row; for she looked upon Mr. van Raat as the captain. Etienne, in spite of his boisterous remonstrances, which nearly caused the boat to capsize, was removed from his seat, and Cateau set herself down triumphantly beside Paul, full of eagerness to keep time with him in the lifting and dropping of her oar, which she clasped, without fear of blisters, closely in her hands. And she enjoyed it when their sculls, as if moved by one power, feathered in light and measured stroke over the greenish water.