This page has been validated.

57

to hack down in that direction, calling out to her: ‘Take your toes out of the way, Georgiana. I am coming down the river. The current is up and I can’t stop.’ ‘My toes were there first,’ said Georgiana, and went on eating her biscuit. ‘Take them out of the way, I tell you,’ he shouted as he came nearer, ‘or they’ll get cut off.’ ‘They were there first,’ repeated Georgiana, and took another delicious nibble. Joe cut straight along, and went whack right into her five toes. Georgiana screamed with all her might, but she held her foot on the log, till Joe dropped the hatchet with horror, and caught her in his arms. ‘Georgiana, I told you to take your toes away,’ he cried; ‘you are such a little fool,’ and ran with her to the house. But she always had control over him after that.”

To-day I saw Sylvia enter the arbor, and shortly afterwards I followed with a book.