He could see the gleam of the current through the shag of young trees which found root in the unpromising soil.

Now and then the tall mast of a sailing-vessel glided by, now the smoke-stack of a steamer.

Often the quiet was broken by the panting breath of a tug.

Often into his field of vision flapped the wet clothes from the line strung along the deck of a canal-boat.

The canal ran along beside the regular current of the river, separated from it by a narrow tow-path.