s you'll fetch them both."

In a twinkling Derrick snatched it from her, threw it below on to the
rocks, and went scrambling after it. Next moment a corner of the bank
hid him from their view. The girls laughed.

"Temper!" said Regina. "That's Derrick all over."

"I hope he won't be long. My hair's getting very wet," declared Lesbia.

They waited some time, but no Derrick returned with the hats.

"I suppose we shall have to go and see what he's doing," grumbled
Regina, preparing for a downward scramble.

They had almost to slide among the bushes to reach the rocks. They
arrived at the bottom scratched and mudstained. There was not a trace of
Derrick anywhere. Neither were the hats to be seen. The brown water
swirled past carrying sticks and branches on its foaming surface. Regina
looked at its hurrying course, and at the slippery bank.

"I do hope----" she began, then stopped. She had no need to finish, for
the same fear was in Lesbia's eyes. Where had Derrick vanished? There
was no exit from the platform where they were standing except by the way
they had come.

"We--we oughtn't to have let him go," faltered Lesbia.

"Could he have climbed up there?"

"We'll go and see."

In a horrible scare the girls retraced their steps, and ran along the
top of the cliff, calling "Derrick" with all the force of their lungs.
There was no reply. The only sound to be heard was the roar of the
water. Regina, thoroughly terrified, burst into tears.

"It's my fault if he's drowned!" she sobbed. "Oh, what _are_ we to do?"

The girls hunted about and called for some time, then finally went home
in a frantic state to raise the alarm. The first person they saw as they
entered the front door was Derrick, dressed in dry clothes and munching
a green apple. He bowed politely.

"Your hats are drying by the fire," he said in a nonchalant tone.

"How _did_ you get home?" gasped the two girls. "We've been looking for
you everywhere?"

"Why, I climbed up the rocks and went on."

"You wretched boy! You gave us such a fright!" panted Regina.

"Mother Hubbard's dog isn't in it with you," declared Lesbia.

Derrick shrugged his shoulders.

"Can't help it if you chose to chase after me. I think I was a trump to
take your hats home for you. You look uncommonly wet. Best change."

As little rivers were running from their garments down on to the hall
floor, the girls took his advice and hurried into dry clothes.

"He was a mean wretch