At times the poles touched a good firm tuft of heath or a patch of gravel, and the boat received a good thrust forward; at other times, when the bottom was soft, Hickathrift struck the water with it right and left as he stood up in the prow, using it as a kind of paddle.
Before they were half-way on their journey the sun came out from a cloud, just at the edge of the inundation; and with it and the prospect of warmth and food at the Priory, everybody's spirits began to rise.
"Might have been worse, neighbour," shouted the squire.

"You sold all your sheep last week." "Ay," said the farmer from Dave's punt; "and we might all have been drowned.

It's a sore piece of business; but it shows a man what his neighbours are, and I won't murmur, only say as you do, it might have been worse." "And thank God for sparing all our lives!" said the squire, taking off his hat.
"Amen!" said Farmer Tallington, and for a time there was nothing heard but a sob from Mrs Tallington and the splashing of the poles.
But two boys could not keep silence long with the sun shining and the place around wearing so novel a guise; and Dick soon burst out with: "Look, Tom; look at the teal!" He pointed to a flock forming quite a patch upon the water some hundreds of yards away.
"Ay," said the squire; "it's good for the wild-fowl, but bad for us.
The sooner the place is drained now, neighbour, the better, eh ?" "Ay, squire, you're right; but how are we to get rid of all this watter ?" "Ah, we must see," said the squire; and Dave and John Warren exchanged glances and shook their heads.

"The sooner the draining works are commenced the better." "Toft Fen wean't niver be drained, mester," said Dave in a low voice, as he rested his pole in the punt and stood there looking as if he believed himself to be a prophet.
"Oh, you think so, do you, Dave ?" said the squire quietly.

"I daresay hundreds of years ago, before the sea-wall was made, some men said that no farming could be done in the fen, but the sea has been kept out for all these years." "Ay, but it's come through at last in its natural way, mester," said John Warren.
"Yes, John," said the squire: "but we men who think how to live, make nature work for us, and don't work for nature.