"Why on earth do they want to put these irons at the end of a boat? Wretched, dangerous things!" cried the distracted man to himself. "To think that I have been through a thousand locks in safety, and that this should have happened just when I had made myself responsible for a party of children! Never again! Never again, if I get safely out of this! I wonder how long that doctor fellow will take to come along?" Viva and Inda were sitting in the front kitchen, glancing askance at several rosy, curly-headed children who were shyly huddled together by the door. The fascination of new surroundings and possible new playmates had diverted their minds from their misfortunes, and the Captain heaved a sigh of relief as he passed into the inner room. The lock-keeper's wife had filled two bottles with hot water, and put one to Pixie's feet, and another between her cold hands; a towel was wrapped round the wet locks with somewhat ghastly effect, and the young man shivered as he looked down at the still, white face. "She is not--she can't be--" he faltered, not having the courage to pronounce the dread word; and to his inexpressible relief the woman smiled at the thought. "Not she! Stunned a bit, that's all. Perhaps hit her head in falling. I've often had them like this before, and they are pretty well all right in a few hours. We have a lot of people up here in summertime who know nothing about managing a boat--no offence to you, sir--I daresay you are well accustomed to them, but accidents will happen!" "I thought I was!" sighed the Captain dismally. He knelt down by the couch, and touched the cold cheek with his fingers. "Feels a little warmer, doesn't she? For goodness' sake, take that thing off her head, I can't bear to see it." The woman lifted the head from the pillow to unloosen the tight folds, and at the movement Pixie sighed, and opened wide, bewildered eyes. For the first moment they held nothing but blankest surprise at finding herself in so extraordinary a position, but, even as the Captain held his breath in suspense, a spark of remembrance came into the clear depths, and the face lit up with a flickering merriment. "Were we drowned?" she whispered hoarsely. "The two of us?--Viva jumped, and the boat slipped, and my feet went down. Who saved me? Was it you?" "I suppose it was, but it was not a very heroic rescue--only a few yards to the bank. You are sure you feel all right? Quite warm and comfortable? Your head doesn't ache?" Pixie shook her dishevelled head from side to side, frowning the while in speculative fashion. "I think it does--a little bit, but I'm not quite sure. It feels muzzy!" she declared, with a gesture and accent which lent some enlightenment to the enigmatical expression. Then she stretched out a hand, and touched him anxiously on the shoulder. "You're drenched! You'll catch all sorts of diseases in those wet clothes. Can't you have some blankets too? I'm so lovely and warm."