Her eyes were downcast, and the man in the punt could not see the deep shadow of pain they held.

"If I can't have corn," she said slowly, with the air of one pronouncing sentence, "I won't have husks.

I will die of starvation sooner." And with that very suddenly she rose and walked round the sheaf.
The movement was abrupt, so abrupt that Hugh Chesyl lifted his brows in astonishment.

He was still more surprised a moment later when he heard her clear, girlish voice raised in admonition.
"I don't think it's very nice of you to lie there listening and not to let us know." Hugh sat upright in the punt.

Who on earth was it that she was reproving thus?
The next moment he saw.