`I may be able to clim' along the bank perhaps - I can clim' better than they. You must be so tired, Mr Clare!'

`No, no, Tess,' said he quickly. And almost before she was aware she was seated in his arms and resting against his shoulder.

`Three Leahs to get one Rachel,' he whispered.

`They are better women than I,' she replied, magnanimously sticking to her resolve.

`Not to me,' said Angel.

He saw her grow warm at this; and they went some steps in silence.

`I hope I am not too heavy?' she said timidly. `O no. You should lift Marian! Such a lump. You are like an undulating billow warmed by the sun. And all this fluff of muslin about you is the froth.'

`It is very pretty - if I seem like that to you.'

`Do you know that I have undergone three-quarters of this labour entirely for the sake of the fourth quarter?'

`No.'

`I did not expect such an event to-day.'

`Nor I... The water came up so sudden.'

That the rise in the water was what she understood him to refer to, the state of her breathing belied. Clare stood still and inclined his face towards hers.

`O Tessy!' he exclaimed.

The girl's cheeks burned to the breeze, and she could not look into his eyes for her emotion. It reminded Angel that he was somewhat unfairly taking advantage of an accidental position; and he went no further with it. No definite words of love had crossed their lips as yet, and suspension at this point was desirable now. However, he walked slowly, to make the remainder of the distance as long as possible; but at last they came to the bend, and the rest of their progress was in full view of the other three. The dry land was reached, and he set her down.

Her friends were looking with round thoughtful eyes at her and him, and she could see that they had been talking of her. He hastily bade them farewell, and splashed back along the stretch of submerged road.

The four moved on together as before, till Marian broke the silence by saying--

`No - in all truth; we have no chance against her!' She looked joylessly at Tess.

`What do you mean?' asked the latter.

`He likes 'ee best - the very best! We could see it as he brought 'ee. He would have kissed 'ee, if you had encouraged him to do it, ever so little.'

`No, no,' said she.

The gaiety with which they had set out had somehow vanished; and yet there was no enmity or malice between them. They were generous young souls; they had been reared in the lonely country nooks where fatalism is a strong sentiment, and they did not blame her. Such supplanting was to be.