"
"Oh," cried the children,--"oh yes, us remembers that story. It was a
boy and his mother. And was it a boat just like this, Tim?"
"Not near so clean and tidy. This one's been all new painted, don't you
see? It's as clean as clean. But we must be quick. Peter and I'll jump
you in. He's all ready to start. There's the horse a-waiting."
Duke was quite content, but Pamela still hung back a little.
"Us has never been in a boat," she said.
"Come on," called out Peter, and the young woman with the baby came
forward with a smile.
"You must look sharp," said Peter, in what was meant to be an
encouraging tone. "The morning's getting on, you know," he added to Tim,
"and if those folk down yonder took it in their heads to come this way
it'd be awk'ard."
"I know," said Tim, and lifting Duke in his arms he handed him over to
Peter, thinking Pamela would be sure to follow. So she was, for she
would have gone after "bruvver" down the crater of Vesuvius itself I do
believe, but she looked white and trembled, and whispered piteously,
"I am so frightened, Tim."
"But it's better than if Mick had cotched us, and you'd had to go to
that Signor man, missy," said Tim encouragingly.
This appealed to Pamela's common sense, and in a few minutes she seemed
quite happy.
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