But Armstrong was saying :sx " I wish she'd assume the care of our tea .sx or a drink anyhow .sx " " They're not licensed !sx " .sx " Yah !sx I bet that chap has got something .sx here and will sell it fast enough .sx .. " Just then the girl came to the door and shook the crumbs from a coarse table-cloth .sx " Here !sx " Armstrong called to her .sx " I want .sx a drink !sx " .sx Her sidelong glance at him pierced Winslow .sx to the heart .sx " Want some ginger-pop ?sx " .sx " No !sx " Armstrong vociferated , " something .sx better than that .sx " Father's made some cider .sx " " That'll do !sx " I'll ask Father .sx " And so she did evidently , .sx for the man appeared .sx " My gal told yew wrong .sx I don't sell cider , and I shouldn't tell yew if I did .sx Yew'd go and talk .sx I've got apple syrup .sx That cost a shillin' !sx !sx " And he planked down on the table a common mineral-water bottle , filled with some golden fluid , and fitted with a home-made cork tied with string .sx He did not wink , but he and Armstrong looked each other in the eye .sx The latter threw down a shilling .sx The man cut the string with the same deft , half surreptitious manner that characterised all his actions , and poured the liquid , which fizzed slightly , into glasses .sx Armstrong sipped .sx " By Gad !sx " was all he said .sx Winslow sipped .sx Greenish gold , delicately fragrant , the stuff left a tang at the back of the throat that told of secret strength .sx Winslow paid a shilling and another bottle appeared .sx The stuff was strong and took effect on their empty river-famished stomachs .sx Armstrong be-came less crusty , Conybeare more human .sx As for Winslow , he sat speechless before the one thing more beautiful than the evening sky .sx It was that girl setting out their tea , with its heaped plate of strawberries , its old " Mrs. Brown " tea-pot , its fresh bread and butter .sx They had been catering for themselves all the week .sx What was it that girl's fingers did to the stuff to make it different ?sx It was all so good that Conybeare began to say that he wished he could send some of the fruit to Miss Waterson , who seemed to be a wealthy lady interested in missions .sx Arm-strong volunteered to tell the man how to pack the berries .sx Winslow looked on , hardly listening , not even astonished at the unusual good temper and mutual forbearance of the other two .sx He felt he understood it .sx His beatitude was almost .sx physical .sx The very skin of his face and forearm when he leaned one on the other , seemed unusually smooth .sx Those two went off to interview the man , who seemed to have resumed his gardening .sx The girl peeped at him .sx " Yes , come and clear away , " he said .sx And presently seeing her make an effort to lift the heavy old iron tray she had filled with crockery , he added , " Let me !sx " .sx She looked at him as if such an offer had never been made to her before .sx He carried the tray in for her and set it down in the dark , close little scullery and made way for her , picking up a dish-cloth to wipe cups and plates .sx " I suppose you have a pretty hard time here ?sx " .sx She seemed not to grasp that , and only looked at him sidelong , through ever-escaping curls , with complete incomprehension , or was it shyness ?sx " You've no mother ?sx " he persisted .sx " She's dead .sx " How that would have pleased Conybeare , with its hint of a continued existence of a mother somewhere beyond the sky .sx He mused a moment , then asked :sx " You've had to bring up your little brothers ?sx " " Aunt Thirza used to come .sx " " Is she dead too ?sx " .sx " Aunt Thirza ?sx Not she .sx I don't want her about !sx She have them on Sundays .sx " ( Pause .sx ) " How old are you ?sx " .sx At the personal note of this question she looked at him from behind her love-locks .sx " Eighteen !sx " .sx What was that about " the age of consent " ?sx How futile !sx She'd never be old enough .sx She was like G. F. Watts' " Dawn .sx " " Do you ever get tired of this ?sx " .sx " A lot of use that'd be .sx " And before he could think of the next thing to say , she had stacked away the tea things , let the water out of the sink , received from him and hung up her dish-cloth , and left the kitchen .sx She could be heard calling the boys .sx " Come on now .sx Time you was abed .sx " Denial and procrastination and a good spank .sx Howls !sx He went after her to look .sx She had got one brother securely by the arm , but the other had slipped across the grass and taken refuge on the boat .sx She stood , daunted , not liking apparently to set foot on deck .sx " I'll fetch him for you .sx Come on , my lad !sx " .sx He boarded the craft , chased and caught the child .sx She received her second charge and led the two towards the house without thanks .sx Winslow had the impression that she didn't like being seen at her household duties .sx Left alone , he pondered in the paling light .sx The hour filled him with the sort of melancholy .sx he loved .sx It cut him off from the immediate world , his companions , the actual events of the day .sx It isolated him with his lovely thoughts .sx He had discovered that mood , when a small boy , listening to Mendelssohn , reading Scott , the mood in which all men were gallant , except the evil ones , who were purely sinister , and were worsted , and all the women beautiful , a match for the men , except when they were witches .sx School days had thrown a veil of shyness and discouragement over all that .sx Only lately , when he had begun writing his own poetry , had it returned , but with a difference .sx He now knew that men were not sharply divided into categories , but were partly gallant and partly sinister , all of them in varying degrees .sx And women were partly beautiful and partly witches .sx All that fair pageant that nineteenth-century art convoked was in reality weighed down with laws and duties , the daily round , the common task .sx Now , instead of simple enjoyment of the bravery and beauty of it all , he enjoyed the frustration and limitation .sx So he lay on the deck , watching the light die on the water , and listening to the evening savagery of the marsh , hoarse shrill cries , tiny struggles going on with owl and bat and rat and stoat .sx It was dusk now , day was dying like everythingelse , and the beauty of that particular day would never gladden his eyes again .sx The others must have gone for a walk .sx No !sx here was Conybeare .sx " Come aboard , sir !sx " .sx " Had a nice walk ?sx " .sx " Delightful .sx The glamour of the evening over all !sx Armstrong , however .sx .. " " What's up with Armstrong ?sx " .sx " Oh , you know , so pertinacious , dear fellow .sx Couldn't find a er hostelry .sx I left him , questing , you know , questing !sx " .sx " You didn't get anything for breakfast , I suppose ?sx " .sx " Oh , Winslow , oh dear !sx I regret to say , we forgot .sx I mean I forgot , and Armstrong was thinking of other things .sx " " I forgot too , " somehow Winslow couldn't let Conybeare have all the self-sacrifice .sx He was so selfish about it .sx " I shouldn't have known , only I happened to look in the top of the locker for a book of mine , and saw the lower part was empty .sx " " Poor Winslow , pursuing the poets and finding empty jam jars .sx .. " " Oh , there's tinned salmon , right enough , but you heard Armstrong on that ?sx " .sx " I did indeed , bless him .sx He does swear so .sx Quite Elizabethan .sx What's to be done ?sx " .sx " I expect he'll know .sx I'll go and tell him .sx " " Ah !sx I'll keep the starboard watch !sx " .sx Winslow leapt ashore , conscious that he had other motives .sx One might be expressed by the formula " three's company , two isn't .sx " He could stand Conybeare very nicely with Armstrong .sx One modified the other .sx But Conybeare alone !sx And also , somewhere at the back of his mind stuck the word " questing " applied to Armstrong .sx He moved silently across the grass-grown staithe in his canvas shoes .sx A lamp had been lighted in the kitchen .sx He could see the girl seated at some employment which she had put aside in favour of an illustrated paper .sx Armstrong was leaning against the door .sx He spoke into the room , and Winslow could not hear what he said .sx There could be no doubt , however , that it was as deft as everything Armstrong did .sx To be sure of that , it was sufficient to see and hear the girl .sx She kept looking up from her paper , sidelong , at Armstrong , her lips curved in their rich line , flattered acquiescence in her short replies that ran :sx " What say ?sx " and " Go you on !sx " , " Think so ?sx " and her suppressed giggles .sx Armstrong , as usual , knew what to say and how to say it .sx Winslow would not interrupt .sx Partly because it would not be sporting , partly because it would involve playing second fiddle to Armstrong who .sx always played first .sx Also , perhaps , because he felt hurt and enjoyed the sensation .sx He did not move as his friend passed inside and seated himself on the corner of the table .sx Then he did not want to .sx From an inner door that might lead upstairs , or to the front of the house , the man appeared ; it was not that his heavy boots made no sound , though he walked with a balance that was more a sailor's than a labourer's .sx Armstrong heard him , of course , but would not display nervousness .sx The girl did .sx She buried her face in her paper , spread it on the table , put both elbows on it , and her hands over her ears .sx Armstrong affected not to notice .sx But the expression on the man's face riveted Winslow's attention .sx It was that which had visited it , a few hours ago , as he dealt with the blackbird .sx His ponderous voice came :sx " What might you want in my kitchen ?sx " Armstrong swung round and faced him :sx " I want a drink .sx Your pub's too far off !sx " " I'm no publican .sx " " You've got some more of that cider , anyhow .sx " " No I hain't !sx " .sx " You're a .sx .. d'you mean we had the last ?sx " .sx " I dunno what you thought .sx I don't sell cider , I told you that .sx " " Call it what you like , but look sharp and get it .sx " " I don't take orders from no one .sx " " You won't get any if you're not more civil .sx " " And don't want .sx Now get outer my kitchen !sx " .sx " You're making a mistake .sx " " We shall see !sx " .sx Armstrong sprang to the ground and came out through the door .sx Winslow was a prey to mixed feelings , loyalty to his friend , amazement and even amusement at seeing him so summarily put out , and at the back of his mind an uneasy foreboding that the man and Armstrong were both too obstinate and too evenly matched for the matter to end there .sx He moved up beside his friend as the latter strolled deliberately across the staithe .sx " Armstrong , we've nothing for breakfast !sx " .sx Armstrong turned on him as though roused froth some preoccupying thought , and unwilling to admit it .sx " You'd better see what you can get here .sx I don't hit it off .sx But they'll sell you something , " and went on board .sx Winslow turned back to the house , tapped on the door and asked civilly if he could have some eggs in the morning .sx The girl looked round at her father , but on that swarthy face was as muchof a grin as the black beard allowed to show , and an expression as who should say :sx " Ah !sx I thought you'd have to come back !sx " But he only said :sx " We'll see in the mornin' .sx " When he reported his success on board , Armstrong said :sx " Good old Winnie .sx No one could be cross with you !sx " Next day they navigated the Waterwitch to Seaton .sx It took them all day .sx They were too late for any " show .sx " But Armstrong did not seem to mind , was less peremptory if no less efficient .sx The following day they put her about , and set sail back again over their tracks for Easthampton .sx They got as far as Sluice Bridge and tied up for Saturday night .sx Conybeare went to service next morning .sx Armstrong made no objection .sx Midday was past before they resumed their course up-stream , a lovely summer's day .sx Too lovely .sx The wind dwindled and died as they entered that part of the river along which the increasing vegetation screened them from what breeze there was .sx The tide did not serve , and the current impeded them .sx Now Conybeare began to fuss .sx " This is very unfortunate , skipper , I had counted on being in Easthampton to-night .sx "