"Aren't there any water-fairies in this lake, mother?" whispered Milly,
presently, looking down into the clear blue water, and trying to see the
bottom.
"I can't tell, Milly, I never saw any. But there used to be
water-fairies in old days. After tea suppose we ask Aunt Emma to tell us
a story about a king in olden times whom the water-fairies loved; she
used to tell it to me when I was small, and I liked it best of all
stories. But, Olly, you must sit still, or the boat will go tipping over
to one side, and father won't be able to row."
"Do let me row, father," begged Olly.
"Not yet, old man--I must get used to the boat first, and find out how
to manage her, but presently you shall come and try, and so shall Milly
if she likes."
On they rowed, farther and farther from the shore, till Aunt Emma's
house began to look quite small, and they could hardly see the gardener
working on the lawn.
"Father, what a long way we've come," cried Milly, looking all round.
"Where are we going to?"
"Well, presently, Milly, I am going to turn the boat a little bit, so as
to make her go over to that side of the lake over there. Do you see a
big rock with some trees on it, far away, sticking out into the lake?"
"Yes," said the children, looking very hard.
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