ly with one boat-book
on one side, and Percy with the other on the other side, had
comparatively little to do except to prevent their hooks getting stuck
in the mud at the bottom, and refusing to come out. Any one watching
them would have said these boys had been born in a barge. They carried
their long poles to the prow, and plunged them in there with a mighty
splash. Then they shoved away, till the end of the poles came within
reach of their hands. Then, in perfect step and time, they started to
march, each down his own side of the boat, calling on their friends and
admirers to get out of the way. Then, as they neared the stern, and the
prospect of pulling up their hooks and returning fora'd for another
"punt" loomed ahead, their faces grew anxious and concerned. They began
to hold on "hard all," a yard from the end of the walk, and tug
frantically to get themselves free. Sometimes the hook came out easily,
in which case they fell backwards into the arms of their friends. At
other times it stuck, and they had to detain the progress of the boat a
minute or more to get it out. And sometimes it all but escaped them,
and continued sticking up out of the water while the barge itself
floated on. Happily, the last tragedy never quite came off, although it
was periodically imminent.

When, however, the stream opened into the lake, the progress became much
less exciting. The water was a little lumpy, and had a tendency, while
they were walking back at the end of one punt in order to start another,
of jumping the "Cock-House" back into precisely the same position from
which she had lately started.

After about half an hour's fruitless efforts the twins were seized with
a generous desire not to monopolise the whole of the fun of the voyage.

"Like to have a go!" said Wally to D'Arcy.

"You may have a turn if you like, Lick," said Percy.

Whereupon D'Arcy and Lickford took up the rowing for the "Cock-House,"
greatly assisted and enlivened in their operations by the advice and
encouragement of the late navigators.

"Two to one on Lick," cried Wally, as the two started their mad career
down the boat. "Look out! he's gaining."

"You've made her go an inch and a half," said Percy.

"Hang on tight now, and pull it up," said Wally, as Lickford, red in the
face with excitement, was straining himself to release the hook from the
mud.

"Keep her trim," said Percy, laying hold of D'Arcy's feet, as the latter
was grad