stand idle while they were working like horses:--why should not
she gather the apples before they were all knocked off, instead of
keeping other people out of the stream to do such girls' work? Oliver
said she had been as useful as anybody all day; and she should do as she
liked now. He called out to Mildred; and asked her whether she should
like to gather the apples off the tree, while they went to see what else
they could find. Mildred replied that she should like it very much, if
they could bring in the tree to the place where she was. Ailwin would
find something for her to put the apples in.

Neither the raft nor the tree, however, could be got through the breach
in the wall. Oliver fetched the tub, which had been discarded since the
raft had been thought of. He rowed himself to the staircase in this
tub, and asked Mildred if she was afraid just to cross those few yards
to the wall. He would find her a nice seat on the wall, where she could
sit plucking the apples, and seeing all they did on the raft. He would
be sure to come, for her, as soon as she should make a signal for him.
Meantime, the tub would hold the apples.

Mildred had a great fancy for sharing the boys' adventures; and though
the tub looked a small, unsteady boat, she ventured to slide down into
it, and sit in it, while her brother rowed her over to the broken wall.
She was so silent that Oliver thought she was frightened; but she was
considering whether or not to tell him of Ailwin's fears of his being on
the raft with Roger. Before she had decided, they had come within
hearing of Roger, and it was too late.

After finding a steady broad stone in the wall for her to sit on, Oliver
chose to stay a little while, to cut and break off from the trunk the
branches that had the most fruit on them. This would make Mildred's
work much easier. Oliver also chose, in spite of all Roger could say,
to leave her one of their paddles. He considered (though he did not say
it) that some accident might possibly happen to the raft, to prevent
their returning for her: and he declared that Mildred should have an oar
to row herself in with, if she should have a mind to join Ailwin, at any
moment, instead of waiting where she was. So having moored the tub
inside the house wall, and the apple-tree outside, and established
Mildred on a good seat between, the boys pushed off again.

Mildred found that she had undertaken a wet and dirty task. The
branches of th