ead.

"Something very disagreeable, I'm afraid--give us all a good wetting in
the water! You needn't be afraid of that, though, when you are with me,
for I shall take good care of my little crew. You see how far I keep
away with this oar."

"Yes, I see. But why does one end of the boat stick out into the
middle, and the other into the side?"

"It's the current that sweeps it round, the force of the water that is
coming in under the gates. That doesn't matter so long as we are not
caught."

"But the end _is_ caught, isn't it? That little bit of iron that sticks
up at the pointed end!" cried Pixie suddenly. She was densely ignorant
of all that concerns boats, and invariably alluded to the bow and the
stern as the "blunt" and "pointed" ends, to the Captain's intense
amusement.

This time, however, he did not smile. Pixie saw his face set suddenly
as he turned his head to look in the direction of her outstretched
finger, but his voice sounded reassuringly confident.

"Oh, I see! Yes. Let me pass you, dear, for a moment. Sit quite
still!"

He stepped past her into the space occupied by the hampers, and stamped
vigorously first with one foot, then with two, jumped with all his
weight, then stepped quickly back to the centre of the boat and called
to the man at the sluices--

"Hi, there! _Stop_! My boat is caught! Turn off that water! Quick,
man, do you hear me!"

But the man's head was turned in the opposite direction, and he was so
much engrossed with his work that it was some moments before he heard,
and meantime it was terrifying to see how swiftly the water arose, how
dangerously near to its edge grew the side of the boat! The children
began to shriek and stand on their seats, and the Captain seized Inda in
his arms and held her up, calling loudly for help.

The lock-keeper was hurriedly dropping the sluices, but at the sound of
the continued cries his wife ran out of the house and across the
bridgeway. In another moment she would be able to lift Inda ashore; but
Viva, frantic with terror, was clamouring to be taken too, and Pixie
impetuously lifted her towards the bank.

What happened next it is difficult to describe, so swiftly did it
happen, so like a nightmare did it appear for ever after in the memories
of those concerned. The woman came rushing forward, followed by her
husband; they seized the children and dragged them on the bank.

The boat, relieved suddenly of a weight, gave an un