"Why?"
"Because I shall have the tide hard against me coming back."
"But I am not much, and your arms are strong," urged Asahel.
"Very true. Well — we'll see. Mother, do you want any fish to- day?"
A sort of comical taking of the whole subject somehow was expressed under these words, and set the whole family a- laughing, All but Rufus; he was impenetrable. He sat finishing his breakfast without a word, but with a certain significant air of the lip and eyebrow, and dilating nostril, which said something was wrong.
It was the fairest of summer afternoons; the sky June's deep and full-coloured blue, the sun gay as a child, the hills in their young summer dress, just put on; and the water, — well, it was running down very fast, but it was running quietly, and lying under the sky and the sunshine it sparkled back their spirit of life and joy. The air was exceeding clear, and the green outlines of the hills rose sharp against the blue sky.
Winthrop stood a minute on one of the rocks at the water's edge to look, and then stepped from that to the one where his boat was moored, and began to undo the chain.
"Are you going down after those people?" said the voice of
Rufus behind him. It sounded in considerable disgust.
"What do you advise?" said Winthrop without looking up.
"I would see them at the bottom of the river first!"