CHAPTER FOUR.
A JOURNEY BY PUNT.
There was still a furious current running on the far side of the Toft, as, well provided with lanterns, the two punts pushed off.

On the side where the two last comers landed it had seemed sluggish, for an eddy had helped them in; but as soon as they were all well out beyond the pines the stream caught them, the wind helped it, and their task was not to get towards Grimsey, but to retard their vessels, and mind that they were not capsized by running upon a pollard willow, whose thin bare boughs rose up out of the water now and then, like the horrent hair of some marine monster which had come in with the flood from the sea.
"We've done wrong, Hickathrift," said the squire after they had been borne along by the current for some distance; "and I don't understand all this.

I thought that when the tide had turned, the water would have flowed back again through the gap it must have broken, instead of still sweeping on." "Ay," said the great wheelwright, who was standing in the bows with his long leaping-pole in his hand; "I do puzzle, squire.

I've been looking out for a light to show where Grimsey lies, for here, in the dark, it's watter, watter, watter, and I can't see the big poplar by Tallington's.
Hi! Dave, where's Grimsey, thinks ta ?" he shouted.
"Nay, I don't know." "Can you make it out, John Warren ?" "Nay, lad, I'm 'bout bet." "Then, squire, if they can't say, I can't.

What shall we do ?" "We must wait for daylight," said the squire, after peering into the darkness ahead for some time.