"How sweet it is here!" said Alison to Dorothy. "Something smells perfectly delicious--I don't know what." "I think it must be honeysuckle down by the river." "Then let us go and see. It's rather early for honeysuckle; I haven't found any out yet. It might perhaps be a sweetbrier. Tea isn't quite ready, so we shall have plenty of time." The two girls strolled out of the garden and down a short lane that led to the river. It was beautiful there--the grassy banks were white with tall, lacy, umbelliferous plants, and groups of willows drooped their picturesque, shimmering boughs over the water. "Look at the old weir," said Alison. "I believe there used to be a mill here once, only it isn't working now. Dorothy, what's that growing in the river? Isn't it water plantain?" "It looks uncommonly like it." "I must have a piece--I positively must! How can we get some? Do you think we could walk along the edge of the weir and reach it? It's only a few yards off." "I dare say we might, if we could hold on to those willows." "Let us try. Give me your hand." "It's rather slippery," said Dorothy, as she essayed to follow. Catching on to the branches of a willow, the two girls stepped cautiously along the uncovered stones at the edge of the weir towards the spot where the water plantain was growing so temptingly. "There's a splendid piece almost within reach," said Alison. "Stick tight to my hand, Dorothy, and I'll bend over. I'm within an inch of it." "Be careful!" exclaimed Dorothy. "Don't pull!" But her warning came too late. Alison, in her effort to grasp the plantain, put her weight on her friend, and to support the strain Dorothy leaned backwards. Alison, snatching a piece of the flower, suddenly released the tension; the pair swayed for an instant, overbalanced, and then slipped, shrieking, down the sloping side of the weir. CHAPTER XV A Confession