Part 39 (2/2)

”Asleep? Yes, for a good eight hours. There, tumble up. Your washhand-basin is waiting for you. Now, Dean,” he continued, touching him with his foot, ”are you going to lie there all day?”

”Don't--I say, be quiet. I've only just closed my eyes. Why! Eh? If it ain't to-morrow morning!”

He got up and shook himself, and then followed my example of folding up my blanket.

”Can you lads swim?”

”I can,” I said; and the words recalled our river at home, and the green bank off which I used to plunge.

”I learned in Lambeth Baths,” said Esau.

”Then if I were you I'd go and have a dip; freshen you both up for the day. There's a place under the trees about a hundred yards from the wharf. I've had a swim there this morning.”

”Already?” I said.

”Yes, and done some business beside. But look here; keep to the shallows there, and don't venture into the stream, for the current is exceedingly swift.”

A swim in the bright morning suns.h.i.+ne sounded so delightful that I made for the door at once.

”Remember about the current, my lads,” said Gunson; ”and you, Dean, if you keep your eyes open you'll see plenty of salmon.”

”That's his way of making fun of me,” said Esau, as soon as we were outside. ”Somehow he don't like me.”

”And you don't like him, Esau?”

”That's about true, Mr Gordon,” cried Esau. ”But oh my!--only look!”

I needed no telling, for as we stood on the banks of that swift river, with the forest rising behind us, and the sun glorifying everything around, all thoughts of the last night's low spirits, and the trouble we had gone through, were forgotten, and I felt ready to shout for joy.

The axe of the woodman had been at work, but so little that it was hardly noticeable, and, look which way we would, all was lovely, glorious, more beautiful than words can paint.

”Here, I want to shout. I want to lie down and roll. Here, lay hold of my ankles and hold me,” cried Esau, ”Why? What are you going to do?”

”I feel as if I must stand on my head, or I shall go mad. I do indeed.”

”Don't be so stupid.”

”But it ain't stupid. It's all so--so--Oh! I can't tell you how beautiful it is.”

”Never mind now. We are here, and can go on liking it.”

”Yes, I know; but--I say, lookye here. What a tree to climb, with all its branches standing out like steps, and--Why, it must be a hundred feet high.”

”It's more than two,” I said as I gazed up at the grand green spire of a Douglas pine, tapering gradually up, as if it intended to pierce the bright blue sky.

”Can't be so high as that,” said Esau. ”But I don't know,” he cried.

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