下载辰思小说免费APP
’Iwillgoandsee，’saidAnne。’WaittillIreturn。’
’No；Icandonomore。WhenyoucomebackIshallbegone。Iaskonethingofyou。Ifallgoeswellwithyouandhim，andhemarriesyou——don’tbealarmed；myplanslieelsewhere——whenyouarehiswifetellhimwhohelpedtocarryhimaway。Butdon’tmentionmynametotherestofyourfamily，eithernoworatanytime。’
Anneregardedthespeakerforamoment，andpromised；afterwhichshewadedoutfromthearchway。
MatildastoodlookingatBobforamoment，asifpreparingtogo，tillmovedbysomeimpulseshebentandlightlykissedhimonce。
’Howcanyou！’criedAnnereproachfully。Whenleavingthemouthofthearchshehadbentbackandseentheact。
Matildaflushed。’Youjealousbaby！’shesaidscornfully。
Annehesitatedforamoment，thenwentoutfromthewater，andhastenedtowardsthemill。
Sheenteredbythegarden，and，seeingnoone，advancedandpeepedinatthewindow。HermotherandMr。Lovedayweresittingwithinasusual。
’Aretheyallgone？’saidAnnesoftly。
’Yes。Theydidnottroubleusmuch，beyondgoingintoeveryroom，andsearchingaboutthegarden，wheretheysawsteps。Theyhavebeenluckyto-night；theyhavecaughtfifteenortwentymenatplacesfurtheron；sothelossofBobwasnohurttotheirfeelings。
Iwonderwhereintheworldthepoorfellowis！’
’Iwillshowyou，’saidAnne。Andexplaininginafewwordswhathadhappened，shewaspromptlyfollowedbyDavidandLovedayalongtheroad。SheliftedherdressandenteredthearchwithsomeanxietyonaccountofMatilda；buttheactresswasgone，andBoblayontheseatasshehadlefthim。
Bobwasbroughtout，andwaterthrownuponhisface；butthoughhemovedhedidnotrousehimselfuntilsometimeafterhehadbeenborneintothehouse。Hereheopenedhiseyes，andsawthemstandinground，andgatheredalittleconsciousness。
’Youareallright，myboy！’saidhisfather。’Whathevhappenedtoye？Wheredidyegetthatterribleblow？’
’Ah——Icanmindnow，’murmuredBob，withastupefiedgazearound。
’Ifellinslippingdownthetopsailhalyard——therope，thatis，wastooshort——andIfelluponmyhead。AndthenIwentaway。WhenI
camebackIthoughtIwouldn’tdisturbye:soIlaydownoutthere，tosleepoutthewatch；butthepaininmyheadwassogreatthatI
couldn’tgettosleep；soIpickedsomeofthepoppy-headsintheborder，whichIonceheardwasagoodthingforsendingfolkstosleepwhentheyareinpain。SoImunchedupallIcouldfind，anddroppedoffquitenicely。’
’Iwonderedwhohadpicked’em！’saidMolly。’Inoticedtheyweregone。’
’Why，youmightneverhavewokeagain！’saidMrs。Loveday，holdingupherhands。’Howisyourheadnow？’
’Ihardlyknow，’repliedtheyoungman，puttinghishandtohisforeheadandbeginningtodozeagain。’Wherebethosefellowsthatboardedus？Withthis——smoothwaterand——finebreezeweoughttogetawayfrom’em。Haulin——thelarboardbraces，and——bringhertothewind。’
’Youareathome，dearBob，’saidAnne，bendingoverhim，’andthemenaregone。’
’Comealongupstairs:th’beesthardlyawakenow，’saidhisfatherandBobwasassistedtobed。
Infour-and-twentyhoursBobhadrecovered。Butthoughphysicallyhimselfagain，hewasnotatallsureofhispositionasapatriot。
Hehadthatpracticalknowledgeofseamanshipofwhichthecountrystoodmuchinneed，anditwashumiliatingtofindthatimpressmentseemedtobenecessarytoteachhimtouseitforheradvantage。
Manyneighbouringyoungmen，lessfortunatethanhimself，hadbeenpressedandtaken；andtheirabsenceseemedareproachtohim。Hewentawaybyhimselfintothemill-roof，and，surroundedbythecorn-heaps，gaveventtoself-condemnation。
’Certainly，Iamnomantolieheresolongforthepleasureofsightingthatyounggirlfortytimesaday，andlettinghersightme——blesshereyes！——tillImustneedswantapress-gangtoteachmewhatI’veforgot。AndisitthenalloverwithmeasaBritishs
