"Sartain," said Mr. Cowslip; — "book-box and all."
"But they'll be too much for the boat?"
"Not at all," said Winthrop; "it was only because the tide was so low last night — there wasn't water enough in the bay. I am not going in the bay this morning."
"No," said Mr. Cowslip, — "tide's just settin' up along shore — you can keep along the edge of the flats."
"You have load enough without them. Don't put 'em in here, sir!" Elizabeth exclaimed; — "let them go in the other boat — your boat — you said you had a boat — it's at home now, isn't it?"
"Sartain," said Mr. Cowslip, "it's to hum, so it can start off again as soon as you like. My boy Hild can fetch up the things for you — if you think it's worth while to have it cost you a dollar."
"I don't care what it costs," said Elizabeth. "Send 'em up right away, and I'll pay for it."
So Winthrop dropped into his place again, and lightly and swiftly as before the boat went on her way back towards the blue smoke that curled up over Shahweetah; and Elizabeth's eyes again roved silently and enjoyingly from one thing to another. But they returned oftener to the oars, and rested there, and at last when they were about half way home, she said,
"I want to learn how to manage an oar — will you let me take one and try?"
Winthrop helped her to change her seat and put an oar into her hand, and gave her directions. The first attempts took effect upon nothing but Asahel's face, which gave witness to his amusement; and perhaps Winthrop's dress, which was largely splashed in the course of a few minutes. But Elizabeth did not seem to heed or care for either; she was intent upon the great problem of making her oar feel the water; and as gravely, if not quite so coolly, as Winthrop's instructions were delivered, she worked at her oar to follow them. A few random strokes, which did not seem to discriminate very justly between water and air, and then her oar had got hold of the water and was telling, though irregularly and fitfully, upon the boat. The difficulty was mastered; and she pulled with might and main for half the rest of the way home; Winthrop having nothing to do with his one oar but to keep the two sides of the boat together, till her arm was tired.