They said they were very sorry, but that they owed it to their families not to be fool-hardy.
We found ourselves short of water at Hambledon Lock; so we took our jar and went up to the lock-keeper's house to beg for some.
George was our spokesman.

He put on a winning smile, and said: "Oh, please could you spare us a little water ?" "Certainly," replied the old gentleman; "take as much as you want, and leave the rest." "Thank you so much," murmured George, looking about him.

"Where--where do you keep it ?" "It's always in the same place my boy," was the stolid reply: "just behind you." "I don't see it," said George, turning round.
"Why, bless us, where's your eyes ?" was the man's comment, as he twisted George round and pointed up and down the stream.

"There's enough of it to see, ain't there ?" "Oh!" exclaimed George, grasping the idea; "but we can't drink the river, you know!" "No; but you can drink _some_ of it," replied the old fellow.

"It's what _I've_ drunk for the last fifteen years." George told him that his appearance, after the course, did not seem a sufficiently good advertisement for the brand; and that he would prefer it out of a pump.
We got some from a cottage a little higher up.