They now approached the river, which flows inland from Brading Haven, and which had greatly overflowed its banks; but Agnes was very much amused to see a little robin redbreast sitting on a stone in the middle of the water, looking as saucy and unconcerned as possible. A little farther on they approached the deep part of the water; and here the driver told Mrs. Merton and Agnes to sit as steadily as possible, for the current was flowing with great violence, and the horse might be carried off his feet. They did as he desired, and soon reached the opposite bank in safety. They had scarcely done so, when Agnes’ attention was attracted by a little girl who was standing on the high bank just beyond the water, weeping bitterly. It was easy to guess the cause of her grief, for in the water lay the body of a little dog, which appeared to have been dashed by the current against some large stones near which it lay. They were all sorry for the poor little girl, and Mrs. Merton, telling the driver to stop, asked the little girl if it was her dog that she was crying over. “No, it was not mine,” said the child, “it was master’s; but it loved me, and I have nothing to love me now.” Mrs. Merton entered into conversation with the girl, and learnt from her that she was an orphan, and had been bound an apprentice by the parish to a neighbouring farmer. The dog that lay dead before them had been her playfellow and companion, and the poor girl’s sorrow at its loss was the greater as she had nothing to supply its place in her affections. As, however, it was impossible to restore it to life, Mrs. Merton thought the best thing that could be done was to change the current of the child’s ideas, and accordingly gave her a shilling, which effectually answered the purpose intended; for the little girl, who had never been mistress of so much money before, instantly dried her tears, and ran off, leaving Agnes very indignant at her, for suffering herself to be so easily consoled. They now passed a farm-house, which both Mrs. Merton and Agnes thought might possibly belong to the master of the little girl; and they noticed some remarkably fine poultry feeding at the door of the barn. “I have noticed in passing through the Island,” said Mrs. Merton, “that the poultry is remarkably fine everywhere, and that it is apparently very abundant.” “One reason,” said Mr. Merton, “is no doubt the fact, that there are neither badgers nor pole-cats in the Island, and till lately there were no foxes; but these have been now introduced for the sake of hunting them.” “The inhabitants of the Isle of Wight,” said Mrs. Merton smiling, “appear to have been very badly off with regard to the rural sports, for at one time, I believe, no hares were to be found here. At least I remember reading somewhere, that the same Sir Edward Horsley, whose tomb we saw at Newport, was so anxious to introduce hares here, that he gave a fat lamb for every hare that was brought over from the mainland alive.”