Didactic fiction; Domestic fiction; Girls -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Poverty -- Juvenile fiction
"They make up their sleep in the daytime," said the other, beginning
to push his boat out of the lock which was now full. "I've got
relations of my own in the same line, so I know they can make up their
sleep in the daytime. Well, good-night; if I see the girl I'll hurry
her home."
"Good--night, Mr. Robert. I'm glad you've learnt to manage your boat."
As Roberts went off his voice was heard saying, "It is hard work, and
perseverance, and honesty, and temperance that does it." And he was
not wrong.
Ten o'clock came. The lock-house was closed, and all its inmates went
to bed. Mrs. Rowles had little sleep, watching all night for Juliet's
knock. But it did not come.
At six o'clock next morning Mr. Rowles went out to look up and down
the river, and to prophesy the weather. It was still and cloudless and
warm. While he was standing idly beside the running water, listening
to the twitter of birds and the lowing of cows, he heard yet another
cry, that of a man; and presently he saw on the far-off bank the
figure of a big, burly man with a bushy beard.
"I do believe it's Mrs. Bosher's brother!"
"Over! over!" bawled the man, as if hailing a ferry-boat.
"Well, if that ain't a joke! I ain't the ferry. Here you, Phil, jump
into the _Fairy_ and go and see what that man wants."
So Phil played the part of the ferry and brought Mrs. Bosher's brother
to the lock-eyot.
He told his story. The previous evening he had met a young girl in the
wood, and as it was private property, he had warned her out of it.
Afterwards he found that she had gone to his sister's house, evidently
a runaway, and had engaged herself as a general servant. But Mrs.
Bosher, who was one that never took no rest, never even took off her
bonnet, saw through that girl, and knew right well that she had come
from the Littlebourne side of the river; and perhaps Mrs. Rowles could
state what family had lost a little maid-servant.
Yes, Mrs. Rowles could tell him all about Juliet; and after giving him
some breakfast sent him back in the _Fairy_ to his own side of the
river, with a request that Mrs. Bosher would take Juliet to the
station, where someone would meet the tiresome girl and convey her to
her home in London.
The big man promised to do all this, and went out with Rowles
intending to have a pipe and a gossip with him, when down came a boat
rowed by Leonard Burnet, and steered by the old master-printer; and
so the gossip was cut short, though not the pipe.
"I am not going through," said Mr. Burnet from the boat. "Help me to
land, Rowles; I want to have a talk with you. Who is that man?"
looking at the big person who had just gone off in the little _Fairy_.
"Oh, that is Mrs. Bosher's brother. I hope you are well, sir, and the
young gentleman; likewise Mr. Robert."
"Yes, thanks, Leonard and I are very well; but Roberts has a smart
touch of rheumatism, and will not come on the river to-day. May I sit
here, Rowles?" added Mr. Burnet, pointing to a seat under some small
trees.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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