.Andtherivertoorunspast,notatflood,norswiftly,butcloyingtheoarthatdipsinitanddropswhitedropsfromtheblade,swimminggreenanddeepoverthebowedrushes,asiflavishlycaressingthem.
Wheretheymooredtheirboatthetreesshowereddown,sothattheirtopmostleavestrailedintheripplesandthegreenwedgethatlayinthewaterbeingmadeofleavesshiftedinleaf-breadthsastherealleavesshifted.Nowtherewasashiverofwind—instantlyanedgeofskyandasDurrantatecherrieshedroppedthestuntedyellowcherriesthroughthegreenwedgeofleaves,theirstalkstwinklingastheywriggledinandout,andsometimesonehalf-bittencherrywouldgodownredintothegreen.ThemeadowwasonalevelwithJacob'seyesashelaybackgiltwithbuttercups,butthegrassdidnotrunlikethethingreenwaterofthegraveyardgrassabouttooverflowthetombstones,butstoodjuicyandthick.Lookingup,backwards,hesawthelegsofchildrendeepinthegrass,andthelegsofcows.Munch,munch,heheardthenashortstepthroughthegrassthenagainmunch,munch,munch,astheytorethegrassshortattheroots.Infrontofhimtwowhitebutterfliescircledhigherandhigherroundtheelmtree.
"Jacob'soff,"thoughtDurrantlookingupfromhisnovel.Hekeptreadingafewpagesandthenlookingupinacuriouslymethodicalmanner,andeachtimehelookeduphetookafewcherriesoutofthebagandatethemabstractedly.Otherboatspassedthem,crossingthebackwaterfromsidetosidetoavoideachother,formanywerenowmoored,andtherewerenowwhitedressesandaflawinthecolumnofairbetweentwotrees,roundwhichcurledathreadofblue—LadyMiller'spicnicparty.Stillmoreboatskeptcoming,andDurrant,withoutgettingup,shovedtheirboatclosertothebank.
"Oh-h-h-h,"groanedJacob,astheboatrocked,andthetreesrocked,andthewhitedressesandthewhiteflanneltrousersdrewoutlongandwaveringupthebank.
"Oh-h-h-h!"Hesatup,andfeltasifapieceofelastichadsnappedinhisface.
"They'refriendsofmymother's,"saidDurrant."SooldBowtooknoendoftroubleabouttheboat."
AndthisboathadgonefromFalmouthtoSt.IvesBay,allroundthecoast.Alargerboat,aten-tonyacht,aboutthetwentiethofJune,properlyfittedout,Durrantsaid…
"There'sthecashdifficulty,"saidJacob.
"Mypeople'llseetothat,"saidDurrant(thesonofabanker,deceased).
"Iintendtopreservemyeconomicindependence,"saidJacobstiffly.(Hewasgettingexcited.)
"MymothersaidsomethingaboutgoingtoHarrogate,"hesaidwithalittleannoyance,feelingthepocketwherehekepthisletters.
"WasthattrueaboutyourunclebecomingaMohammedan?"askedTimmyDurrant.
JacobhadtoldthestoryofhisUncleMortyinDurrant'sroomthenightbefore.
"Iexpecthe'sfeedingthesharks,ifthetruthwereknown,"saidJacob."Isay,Durrant,there'snoneleft!"heexclaimed,crumplingthebagwhichhadheldthecherries,andthrowingitintotheriver.HesawLadyMiller'spicnicpartyontheislandashethrewthebagintotheriver.
Asortofawkwardness,grumpiness,gloomcameintohiseyes.
"Shallwemoveon…thisbeastlycrowd…"hesaid.
Souptheywent,pasttheisland.
T