Cousin Lucy's Conversations

“Now, Royal,” said his father, when they were all seated, “you must remember that, if you go with us, you must obey my orders exactly.”

“Yes, father, I will,” said Royal.

“And suppose,” said his father, “that I order you to jump into the river.”

“Then I’ll jump right in,” said Royal.

“Well,” said his father, “we shall see.”

Royal was seated forward, at the bows of the boat. The boat was flat-bottomed, and square at both ends, so that there was very little difference between the bows and the stern, and there was a place to sit at each. Royal put his paddle into the water, and began to paddle a little; but they made no progress, until his father was ready to work his paddle at the stem of the boat; and then it began slowly to glide up the river, keeping, however, all the time near the bank from which they had set out. The water appeared to be much deeper on this side than on the other, and the current was not so rapid. Lucy, however, by looking over the side of the boat, could plainly see the gravel-stones upon the bottom.

They went along very smoothly and prosperously, but yet very slowly, for some time; and at length Royal asked his father to put out more into the stream. So his father turned the head of the boat out, and in a very few minutes they found themselves in the middle of the river. Now, however, instead of moving up, they found, by looking upon the stones at the bottom, that they were drifting down. Royal observed, too, that the water had become much more shallow, and the current was stronger. He looked at his father, and found that he was exerting himself, with all his strength, to force the boat against the current, and keep it from being carried away.

But the water was so shallow, that the end of his paddle rubbed upon the bottom, and prevented his keeping the boat under command. Then he thought that he would use his paddle for a setting-pole, instead of a paddle; that is, that he would plant the lower end of it firmly into the gravel at the bottom, and then push against it, and so force the boat to go up the stream.

In attempting to do this, however, he lost the command of his boat still more. The current, setting strong against the bows, swept that end of the boat round, so as to bring her broadside to the stream; and then she was entirely at the mercy of the water, which here seemed to pour over the stones in a torrent. The boat went flying along over the rippling waves, within a very few inches of the pebble-stones below. Royal began to be seriously afraid.

“Can’t you stop her, father?” said he.

His father did not answer, he was so intent upon the effort which he was making. He had thought of one more plan. He planted the foot of his paddle into the gravel on the bottom, opposite the middle of the boat, and then, letting the middle of the boat press against it, he endeavored to hold it by main force; but the force of the water was so great, that the boat was crowded over until it just began to let in water; so that he was obliged to release his hold, and the boat drifted away again. He then took his seat once more in the stern of the boat.

“Now, Royal,” said he, “stand up and take hold of the painter.”

“What is that?” said Royal.

“The chain,” replied his father – “the chain fastened to the bows.”

Royal did so.

“Now,” said his father, “stand up steadily upon the bows, and then step down carefully into the water.”

Royal obeyed his father’s command with much firmness. The water was about up to his knees. He staggered a little at first, as he carried with him the motion of the boat; but he soon regained a firm footing.

“Now stand still,” said his father, “and hold on.”

Royal braced himself, by his position in the water, against the action of the boat, which pulled hard upon the painter, and this immediately brought the boat round, into a position parallel with the direction of the current. By holding on firmly a moment longer, he stopped the boat, and the current swept swiftly by it, dashing the rippling waves almost over the bows. Lucy sat all this time very quietly on the middle seat, without saying a word.

“Now, Royal,” said his father, “see if you can draw us in towards the shore.”

Royal found, that although it had been so difficult for his father to push the boat by the head, yet that he himself could draw it pretty easily with the chain. So he walked along through the water towards the shore, drawing the boat after him. In a few minutes, he had the bows safely drawn up upon the sand.

His father then stepped out upon the beach, telling Lucy to sit still. He took his stand back a little, where the gravel was dry, while Royal remained just in the edge of the water.

“Now, Royal,” said his father, “you may see if you can draw Lucy up the river. Keep just far enough from the shore to make the water half knee deep.”

Royal was much pleased with this arrangement; and as for Lucy, she was delighted. She sat upon the middle seat, balancing herself exactly, so as not to upset the boat; while Royal waded along, drawing her through the water, which curled and rippled on each side.

“O Lucy,” said Royal, stopping to look round, “we can play this is a canal-boat, and that I am the horse.”

“So we can,” said Lucy; and she began immediately to chirup to him, to make him go faster.

Royal dragged the boat along, while his father walked upon the shore. Presently they came to a place where the water began to be deeper, and the bottom more sandy; and Royal perceived that the current was not nearly as rapid. He looked up to see how the water appeared before him, and he found that it was smooth and glassy, instead of being rippled and rough, as it had been below. His father noticed this difference in the appearance of the water too; and he told Royal that it was a sign that there was no current there. So he directed Royal to come in to the shore, and they would all get in again.

Royal accordingly drew the boat up to the shore, and they all got in. Now they found that they could paddle the boat very easily. It glided over the smooth water with a very gentle and pleasant motion. Lucy looked over the side, and watched the change in the sandy bottom far below. Sometimes she saw a great log lying across the bed of the stream, then a rock, half imbedded in the sand, and next a school of little fishes. The land, too, looked beautiful on each side, as they passed along. There were willows here lining the bank, and now and then a great elm, with branches drooping over almost into the water.

After sailing about in this smooth water a little while, their father said that it was time for them to go home; and so he brought the boat round, turning her head down the stream. After going down in that direction for a little while, Royal said,

“Why, father, you are going right upon the ripples again.”

“Yes,” said his father, “we are going over them.”

“O father,” said Lucy, “we shall upset.”

“No,” said her father, “there is no danger, going down.”

“Why not?” said Royal.

“Because,” said his father, “I shall keep her head down, and then, if we strike a snag, it will do no harm.”

“What is a snag?” said Lucy.

“It is a log sunk in the water,” replied her father.

By this time they had begun to enter the rippling water, and the boat shot swiftly along, bounding over the little billows very merrily. Lucy was at first a little afraid, but she soon began to feel safe, and to enjoy the rapid motion. They soon reached the place where they had taken the boat, and, leaving it there, fastened securely as they had found it, they all went back across the intervals towards home.

THE END