he had never been so really happy
since. This evening, as she walked along swinging her basket, she felt
as though the old days had come back, and the old Delia too. It could
not be so, really. If she knew--but she did not know. Meanwhile the
sky was blue, Delia was kind, the meadows were gay and pleasant, she
would forget everything disagreeable, and enjoy herself.

Their way lay for a short distance along the high-road, then over a
stile, and down through the rich flat water-meadows which spread out on
each side of the river. The Dorn was neither a rapid nor a majestic
stream, but took its leisurely course between its sloping banks, with a
contented ripple, disturbing no one. This course was a very winding
one, making all kinds of little creeks, and shallows, and islands on its
way, and these were full of delightful plants for any one who cared to
gather them. Tall families of bulrushes and reeds swaying to the wind
whistling through them; water-lilies, holding up their flat, green hands
to make a table for their white blossoms; forests of willow-herb on the
banks, wild peppermint and comfrey, and the blue eyes of forget-me-nots
peeping out here and there with modest confidence.

"There's an old punt fastened just about here," said Delia, as they
reached the river, "so we can get right out amongst the lilies, and then
we can reach the rushes too."

Delia was always the leader on such occasions, and Anna was used to
following her with perfect confidence, but when they came to the old
punt, a little higher up, she eyed it with some misgivings. It looked
very insecure, and shaky, and rotten.

"Oh, Delia," she cried, as her companion jumped lightly on to it and
waited for her to follow, "it's leaking--I can see the water through it.
Do you think it will bear us both?"

Delia laughed as Anna crept cautiously down the bank. It reminded her
of the time when she had had to encourage and help her to climb gates
and scramble through hedges.

"Come along," she said, holding out her hand, "it's as safe as dry land.
Why, I've seen four great boys on it at once."

"How beautiful!" cried Anna, as, after a little more encouragement, she
found herself safely on the punt by Delia's side, surrounded by
water-lilies and bulrushes. They set to work to fill their basket with
these, and when it was done there were always finer ones still almost
out of reach. These must be had at any cost. Delia would lie flat on
the punt