oared Distin again; but Gilmore exchanged places with Vane,
and Macey stepped forward, and took hold of Distin's oar.

"Now then, give it up," he said; and, utterly cowed by the firmness of
the two lads, Distin stepped over the thwart by Vane, and went and
seated himself by Gilmore.

"Ready?" cried Macey.

"Yes."

"You pull as hard as you can, and let's send these shivers out of us.
You call out, Gil, and steer us, for we don't want to have to look
round."

They bent their backs to their work, and sent the boat flying through
the water, Gilmore shouting a hint from time to time, with the result
that they came in sight of the mill much sooner than they had expected,
and Gilmore looked out anxiously, hoping to get the boat moored unseen,
so that they could hurry off and get to the rectory by the fields, so
that their drenched condition should not be noticed.

But, just as they approached the big willows, a window in the mill was
thrown open, the loud clacking and the roar of the machinery reached
their ears, and there was the great, full face of the miller grinning
down at them.

"Why, hallo!" he shouted; "what game's this? Been fishing?"

"No," said Vane, quietly; "we--"

But, before he could finish, the miller roared:--

"Oh, I see, you've been bathing; and, as you had no towels, you kept
your clothes on. I say, hang it all, my lads, didst ta capsize the
boat?"

"No," said Vane, quietly, as he leaped ashore with the chain; "we had a
misfortune, and ran on one of those big stumps up the river."

"Hey? What, up yonder by old brigg?"

"Yes."

"Hang it all, lads, come into the cottage, and I'll send on to fetch
your dry clothes. Hey, but it's a bad job. Mustn't let you catch cold.
Here, hi! Mrs Lasby. Kettle hot?"

"Yes, Mester," came from the cottage.

"Then set to, and make the young gents a whole jorum of good hot tea."

The miller hurried the little party into the cottage, where the
kitchen-fire was heaped up with brushwood and logs, about which the boys
stood, and steamed, drinking plenteously of hot tea the while, till the
messenger returned with their dry clothes, and, after the change had
been made, their host counselled a sharp run home, to keep up the
circulation, undertaking to send the wet things back himself.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

MR. BRUFF'S PRESENT.

That boating trip formed a topic of conversation in the study morning
after morning when the rector was not present--a peculiar