Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 13, 2025
Oh, for one plunge! To feel the hug of the waters, their soothing caress, their healing touch! These boys are men now, such as are on the hither side of the darker river, but not a man of them can think, on a hot summer day, of that cool, shaded, mottled Deepole, without a longing in his heart and a lump in his throat.
The chance came, for Hughie, leading the "tag," came flying past Tom and toward the water. Hardly realizing what he was doing, Tom stuck out his foot and caught him flying past, and before any one knew how it had happened, poor Hughie shot far out into the Deepole, lighting fair on his stomach. There was a great shout of laughter, but in a moment every one was calling, "Swim, Hughie!"
The Deepole was only two miles away, and "There was lots of time" for anything else. So, with wild whoops, they turned into the shady path and sped through the forest, the big boys in front, with Ranald easily leading, for there was no runner so swift and tireless in all the country-side, and Hughie, with the small boys, panting behind.
And the music of the rapids down in the gorge, and the gurgle of the water where it sucked in under the jam of dead wood before it plunged into the boiling pool farther down! Not that the boys made note of all these delights accessory to the joys of the Deepole itself, but all these helped to weave the spell that the swimming-hole cast over them.
If I hear a shot I'll come to you, and you do the same by me." "I say," said Hughie, "where does this track of mine come out? Is it below the Deepole there, or is it on the other side of the clearing?" "Why, don't you know?" said Don. "This runs right up to the back of the Fisher's berry patch, and through the sugar-bush to your own clearing. I'll go with you if you like."
"Not go to the Deepole?" "No, indeed. Your mother will put an end to that sort of thing." "Mother! Why not?" "She will not be wanting to have you drowned." Hughie laughed scornfully. "You don't know my mother. She's not afraid of of anything." "But she will be telling your father." This was a matter serious enough to give Hughie pause. His father might very likely forbid the Deepole.
"And Ranald was ashamed for me to tell you, and besides, he said you wouldn't let me go to the Deepole again. But you will, won't you mother? And you won't tell father, will you?" The mother stood listening, with face growing whiter and whiter, till he was done.
Without the spreading elms, without the mottled, golden light upon the cool, deep waters, and without the distant roar of the little rapid, and the soft gurgle at the jam, the Deepole would still have been a place of purest delight, but I doubt if, without these, it would have stolen in among their day dreams in after years, on hot, dusty, weary days, with power to waken in them a vague pain and longing for the sweet, cool woods and the clear, brown waters.
Come away in, my boy. Come in, Ranald." It was her boy's first secret from her. Ranald saw the look of pain in the sweet face, and could not endure it. "It was just nothing, Mrs. Murray," he began. "Did you promise, too, Ranald?" "No, that I did not. And there is nothing much to tell, only Hughie fell into the Deepole and the boys pulled him out!" "Oh, mother!" exclaimed Hughie, "it was Ranald.
"I think I will jist be going back now," he said, at length. But Hughie seized him. "Oh, Ranald, you must come with me." He had pictured himself telling his mother of Ranald's exploit, and covering his hero with glory. But this was the very thing that Ranald dreaded and hated, and was bound to prevent. "You will not be going to the Deepole again, I warrant you," Ranald said, with emphasis.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking