When the Cecil’s boat returned to their barge next door to us we all set up a tremendous cheer, and Reggie departed in great haste to congratulate Miss Accrington, who was clapping her little hands with the most sisterly devotion. I scrambled down below with Freddy to get some tea, but this was a very hazardous business and it was nearer twenty minutes than ten before I secured two cups for the girls, and we waited patiently for the first division.
About half-past five the Thomas’ men came out on the raft just beneath us and stepped gingerly into their boat which was the eighth in the first division. Maisie fell violently in love with the cox, who though exceptionally diminutive was possessed of a megaphonic voice which as Freddy coarsely remarked, ‘Fetches the girls every time.’
The boat put off into mid stream, and when the cox repeated the usual formula of ‘Forward, are you ready, paddle!’ in stentorian tones, Maisie was so moved that I thought for a minute she was actually going to jump in after him.
Blitherington, who had been down below consuming something which was not tea, now reappeared and said, ‘Can’t we go down the river in a punt for this division, Freddy?’
‘Oh, yes, certainly if you like,’ he answered, ‘I haven’t got a punt, but we’ll soon get one.’
We all trooped down the steps, and Freddy pirated the punt of some unknown scholar, while Reggie fetched the Pilot’s cushions from the adjoining barge.
‘Now who’s going to pole?’ said Maisie.
‘O, Martha’ll punt,’ said Freddy, ‘he rather likes it.’
‘All right, I’ll take her down,’ I said, ‘if you’ll bring us back, Freddy.’
This struck me as rather a cute dodge, for the stream will take anybody down, whereas punting back up the river through about a hundred other boats is a serious task.