Littlebourne Lock

fog, and through it, and high above it, the sun was shining, and the larks singing; and Edward Rowles, the l

saw that everything was all right after its night's rest. So he put his hands in his pockets, and went round to the back of the house to see how his peas and beans were conducting themselves. T

, and looked at his son Philip, who was still asleep i

," said the father;

bed them, and within a few min

illing the kettle with water from the well, getting down bread and

who slept in a tiny attic all by herself, and who was v

r. "Here, this slice of bread is very dry,

Rowles brought in a handful of mustard-and-cress as a relish f

t," said Mr. Rowles

s wife; "wait until the first

t," rejoined Rowles; "they must be preciou

be glad, father

not got enough air for all the folks to breathe that live in it. Mi

slate and pencil

d many, eh? Well, there are more people in London than all

look like, nor a million of lemon drops, nor a million of a

ve in London? And Albert and Juliet and

ings! they li

't like hot d

oke in a gentler tone, "do you know I have been thinking so much lately about Mary and all

, I'll be bound,"

hat they are not doing well. The saying is, that no new

n marries a fine, stuck-up London printer, who works all night on a morning paper and sleeps half the day, what can you

like to work by day and sleep by night if he could. I think your sister Mary made a mistake when she married a Londoner, after being used to the country where you can draw a breath of fresh air. And I'm afraid that Tom's money can't be any too much

more," s

tant whistl

r, and took his burly figure out into the garden

train at 10.22; and if I leave the dinner all

dding about, just to show off their bonnets, or to look

ribly, were coming up, and required t

liked going to school, and they liked playing with their friends, but opening the lock-gates,

built from one bank of the river to an island in it. There are great wooden gates, opened by great wooden handles; but to explain how a lock is made and worked would be difficult, though it is easily under

hildren, opened the lower gate. The men on them talked to Rowles while the lock

brother did not notice what she was doing. They came presently and opened the up

take care

sounded shrill

; and she jumped about on the bank of the isl

He looked scared, for the nose of his boat was stuck in the bank of the island, and the stern had swung round almost to the opposite bank. The man was standing up with a scull in his hands, poking

kney boatmen, how they do try to drown themselves! H

did not see what was the matter, or that anything was the matter, and theref

endangered craft, and would have drawn it into safety, but the occupant of it flourished his scull about in so foolish a manner that he

his oar at the man in the boat, Emily threw him the end of her rope. Rowles had at length cau

es into the water. As for the awkward creature himself, he fell on his knees on the plank edging of the

is feet, and get him to believe that he was safe. He staggered up

s a narrow sh

out fooling in a white

tranger, beginning to recover his colour; "and I

them go out in frock-coats and tall hats and kid gloves. I've seen them that did n

hought I had better practise a bit, because he will want me to row him about of

, and your watch and chain, and rig yourself out in a flannel s

er eyes with her hand, for the sun was now bright and

other's call, but Philip lingered. He could n

es, you would let your boy come with

hool. You be off, Phil, be

their books, and disappeared across the fields in the direction of the village, where their company was requ

"but he must waste no time if he wants to get the prize. You won't get a prize for

necktie was black with a small white spot; he showed a good deal of fine shirt-front, and a pair of clean cuffs. Then his hair was carefully cut, and he had trimme

re not a boatin

hough I have been at sea: I have crossed the Channel

Burnet?" as

, I must be getting back, for he likes his breakfast at a quarter-pas

tream which came sw

than you could leap a donkey over a turnpike-gate. Get into yo

pull it by," said t

s the same as towing. If you'd rather tow your boat I will lend you a line, provided that you promise faithfully to return it. It is the missus's c

o be off. "My name is Roberts, with Mr. Burnet at

thwart, as you have

berts

r you. They sit on a thwart and do

ng him to look out for barges and rapids; and then the stranger set off on his return journey, and Rowles went in