the little river. The
flowing water had a great charm for her; the bank was smooth and green;
she wandered along till she came to what she called a nice place, where
a young willow hung over and dipped its long branches in, and the bank
offered a soft shady seat. Matilda sat down, and felt very lonely. But
glimpses taken through the trees and shrubbery shewed her nobody near
or far, except the servants; and Matilda resolved to be quiet and wait
for better things by and by. She looked at her watch; it was half past
twelve. I am bound to confess it was a good half hour more before
Matilda could get the better of a desperate fit of disappointment and
vexation. She had not counted upon spending her holiday in this manner;
and slights and unkindness are pleasant to nobody. There is something
in use, however, and more in a quiet mind. The little girl's roiled
feelings at last ran clear again; and she began to enjoy things after
her own fashion.

The ripple and flow of that water was certainly delicious; it made one
cool only to hear it. She could get down to the brink too and
cautiously dip her hand in. There were little fishes in a shallow
there; their play and movement were very amusing, and Matilda went into
deep speculation about how much they knew, and what they felt, and what
their manner of life amounted to, and how they probably regarded the
strange creature looking down at them. Very much she wondered what they
could eat to live upon. The water plants that grew along the stream had
Matilda's attention too, and the mosses that covered the stones. And
one or two grasshoppers finally proved a great source of entertainment.
She quite forgot to feel lonely, and was taking her enjoyment in a very
harmonious way; when she heard a different swash of the water and the
dip of oars, and the boat shot round a curve and came down the stream.
She watched it, wondering whether its crew would see her. Just opposite
her willow the oars stopped.

"Is that you, Tilly?" David cried.

A small "yes" came from the bank.

"What are you doing there?"

"O, amusing myself."

"Where is everybody else?"

"I don't know."

"Where's Norton?"

"I don't know. I think he went to see the horses."

"Come down to the landing," said David after a moment's pause.

Matilda nodded, and the boat shot forward again. It had turns to take
following the course of the stream; while she on the land could cut
across points, and she reached the landing