e house and drag the tub by the rope."

"I wouldn't hear of it for the world, Master Alfy," protested his
nurse; "you'd catch your death!"

"Perhaps I could walk in the water," he replied. "I don't believe it
is very deep. Try it, dear Mansy, with your umbrella, and see how deep
it is."

"I wouldn't let you, Master Alfy; I wouldn't indeed. You'd catch your
death, I tell you!"

"But we can't stay here all night, Mansy."

"I can't let you get into the water, Master Alfy. You don't know how
deep it is, nor how strong it's a-runnin'; and you'll catch your death!"

"What dreadful disasters!" laughed Alfy. But he knew quite well that
his nurse could make up her mind firmly, and that it would be useless
to argue with her. Still he thought he might have tried to get the
boat nearer the house.

The moon was now shining brightly, and a beautiful silvery path of
light lay on the water. Alfy sat on the side of the tub opposite his
nurse and watched the scene. It was a strange picture--the
unaccustomed flood, the dark mass of the house, and the tree tops
standing out of the water, the bright moonlight, which seemed to make
the scene almost more desolate, and the curious craft in which they
were sitting. The scene deeply impressed itself on Alfy's mind.

"Well, it is of no use to sit here doing nothing," said Mansy
presently. "If we cannot do anything else, I think we'll try and go to
sleep. I am so tired. Perhaps we can see better in the morning what
to do."

"How funny to sleep in a tub on the water!" exclaimed Alfy.

"Yes, and all through me," said Mansy; "I am sorry. If you had not
come for me you might have been in your own nice warm bed!"

"Oh, never mind me, Mansy; I could not leave you there all night."

"I might have walked to the village."

"It's all right, dear Mansy, I'm happy enough. Let us snuggle down and
get to sleep."

And so after they had said their prayers, and thanked God for His
preserving care, they made themselves as comfortable as they could in
their strange, cramped quarters, and actually began to doze a little.

But it was an uneasy slumber, and presently Alfy awoke and found the
moon shining full on his face. The light was also bright on the
hedgetop surrounding the garden of the house; and the idea darted into
his mind that if he could but get the tub beside the hedge he could
work it along toward the house by pushing the paddles against the
hedgetops or pulling at them o