"Ah, you—useless! Not much you ain't!" said 'Possum. "Every one feels beastly weather like this—unless it's Garth. He don't seem to be sufferin' from loss of energy, just now at all events."
She nodded at the small boy, who was racing ahead—a gallant little figure in white shirt and brief knickerbockers, with a wide felt hat. He took a flying leap upon the jetty, where the water swished softly on the pebbles, and capered beside the old dinghy that Tom had left moored near the skiff.
"Come on!" he shouted. "You're too slow. I'm going off to meet Daddy by myself!"
As he spoke, he planted one foot gingerly in the old boat. It rocked and swayed, and he almost overbalanced. 'Possum sprang forward with a quick catch of her breath, but the little fellow righted himself with a mighty wriggle, and sat down abruptly in the dinghy. 'Possum turned to Aileen with a relieved, half-shamefaced laugh.
"He jolly near sat down in the water that time," she said. "It give me a start—lucky he managed to hit the boat." She raised her voice. "Keep still, Garth; let me steady her while you get out."
There came a queer little cry from Garth.
"But it's going away with me!"
Aileen saw, and screamed, and ran. She was too far away. The sudden jerk had parted the rotten strands of the old rope that held the boat, and slowly, yet all too quickly for 'Possum's wild rush, the dinghy swung out into the stream. The tide was running out, and the current was very swift. It seemed in but a second; while they cried out and ran, that the current caught the old boat and whisked it swiftly away.
"Come on," 'Possum said, "quick! Don't worry, Missus, we'll catch him."
She leapt upon the jetty. Aileen followed, and flung herself into the skiff, thrusting the oars into the rowlocks. 'Possum tugged at the painter, and abused Tom's knots under her breath. They yielded at last, and she sprang in, pushing off with a force that sent the boat spinning down-stream. 'Possum grasped the oars, Aileen was already at the tiller—staring ahead in utter silence, seeing nothing but the little blue and white figure. It swung round a bend, and was out of sight.