He knew that the water had risen at
that spot, and that it would quite check their progress. So he had
hastened on, with a dim idea of how he could help them--one of them
in particular.
The rosy-cheeked, bright-eyed quartet looked so charming in their
light summer attire, clinging to the roadside bank like pigeons on a
roof-slope, that he stopped a moment to regard them before coming
close. Their gauzy skirts had brushed up from the grass innumerable
flies and butterflies which, unable to escape, remained caged in
the transparent tissue as in an aviary. Angel's eye at last fell
upon Tess, the hindmost of the four; she, being full of suppressed
laughter at their dilemma, could not help meeting his glance
radiantly.
He came beneath them in the water, which did not rise over his long
boots; and stood looking at the entrapped flies and butterflies.
"Are you trying to get to church?" he said to Marian, who was in
front, including the next two in his remark, but avoiding Tess.
"Yes, sir; and 'tis getting late; and my colour do come up so--"
"I'll carry you through the pool--every Jill of you."
The whole four flushed as if one heart beat through them.
"I think you can't, sir," said Marian.
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