Part 7 (1/2)

”What was that?” said Mark at last.

”I don't know; of course it was something magic.”

”Perhaps they don't like us coming into these magic places,” said Mark.

”Perhaps it is to tell us to go away. No doubt Pan is eaten.”

”I shall not go away,” said Bevis, as the boom did not come again. ”I shall fight first;” and he fitted his arrow to the string. ”What's that!” and in his start he let the arrow fly down among the thistles.

It was Pan looking down upon them from the edge above, where he had been waiting ever since they first called him, and wondering why they did not see him. Bevis, chancing to glance up defiantly as he fitted his arrow to shoot the genie of the boom, had caught sight of the spaniel's face peering over the edge. Angry with Pan for making him start, Bevis picked up a stone and flung it at him, but the spaniel slipped back and escaped it.

”Fetch my arrow,” said Bevis, stamping his foot.

Mark went down and got it. As he came up the sandy slope he looked back.

”There's a canoe,” he said.

”So it is.”

A long way off there was a black mark as it were among the glittering wavelets of the Golden Sea. They could not see it properly for the dazzling gleam.

”The cannibals have seen us,” said Mark. ”They can see miles. We shall be gnawn. Let's run out of sight before they come too near.”

They ran down the slope into the quarry, and then across to the fir-trees. Then they stopped and watched the punt, but it did not come towards them. They had not been seen. They followed the path through the firs, and crossed the head of the gulf.

A slow stream entered the lake there, and they went down to the sh.o.r.e, where it opened to the larger water. Under a great willow, whose tops rose as high as the firs, and an alder or two, it was so cool and pleasant, that Mark, as he played with the water with his spear, pus.h.i.+ng it this way and that, and raising bubbles, and a splas.h.i.+ng as a whip sings in the air, thought he should like to dabble in it. He sat down on a root and took off his shoes and stockings, while Bevis, going a little way up the stream, flung a dead stick into it, and then walked beside it as it floated gently down. But he walked much faster than the stick floated, there was so little current.

”Mark,” said he, suddenly stopping, and taking up some of the water in the hollow of his hand, ”Mark!”

”Yes. What is it?”

”This is fresh water. Isn't it lucky?”

”Why?”

”Why, you silly, of course we should have died of thirst. _That's_ the sea,” (pointing out). ”This will save our lives.”

”So it will,” said Mark, putting one foot into the water and then the other. Then looking back, as he stood half up his ankles, ”We can call here for fresh water when we have our s.h.i.+p--when we go to the Unknown Island.”

”So we can,” said Bevis. ”We must have a barrel and fill it. But I wonder what river this is,” and he walked back again beside it.

Mark walked further out till it was over his ankles, and then till it was half as deep as his knee. He jumped up both feet together, and splashed as he came down, and shouted. Bevis shouted to him from the river. Next they both shouted together, and a dove flew out of the firs and went off.

”What river is this?” Bevis called presently.

”O!” cried Mark suddenly; and Bevis glancing round saw him stumble, and, in his endeavour to save himself, plunge his spear into the water as if it had been the ground, to steady himself; but the spear, though long, touched nothing up to his hand. He bent over. Bevis held his breath, thinking he must topple and fall headlong; but somehow he just saved himself, swung round, and immediately he could ran out upon the sh.o.r.e.

Bevis rushed back.

”What was it?” he asked.

”It's a hole,” said Mark, whose cheeks had turned white, and now became red, as the blood came back. ”An awful deep hole--the spear won't touch the bottom.”