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Updated: May 17, 2025
"Canst thou not swim on thy horse's back?" demanded one of the men-at-arms, impatiently. "Ay; but how if the beast goeth down in the stream?" said Richard Wood. "I tell thee, I fear water." Then came one of the Saxons to the rescue. "Near here dwelleth a fen-man," he said, "and he hath a boat. I will e'en call him to take thee over, and thou canst let thy horse swim."
"Ah, how indeed!" said the squire, and he went away; but Dick stayed behind with Tom Tallington, and sat upon the top of the embankment, laughing, till the rough fen-man stood resting on his spade. "At yow, Dave," said Dick, imitating his broad speech. "Then it arn't manners, lad. Thowt you'd been to school up to town yonder to larn manners both on you?"
The fen-man seemed not to be readily persuaded to bring his boat, for an hour elapsed before he was seen rowing toward them with Bernulf lolling lazily in the stern. At last he reached the little party, and Richard Wood and his men were safely embarked.
This wretch some fen-man from the other side miles away had stolen across in the darkness, wending his way along the mere channels and over the pools, to commit another dastardly outrage, firing another cottage or stack, and then stolen back, his evil work done. Whose house had been burned? It must be the huts of the drain-makers. Dick felt sure of that.
One bright April morning Dave was seen coming out of the mist, looking gigantic as he stood up in his boat; and his visit was hailed with delight, for the trio had been wondering how they should pass that day. "Morning, Dave!" said Marston as the fen-man landed slowly from his boat, and handed Dick a basket of fresh ducks' eggs. "Morn', mester! Tak them up to the missus, Mester Dick.
"What you heven't got, Mester Dick," said the fen-man, showing his yellow teeth. "Bit of opium or a drop o' lodolum. Nay, I don't want you to send me owt. Neighbour Hick'thrift here'll get me some when he goes over to market." Hickathrift nodded, and after a little more conversation the party returned toward the boat. "Straange and thick to-night, Mester Dick," said Dave. "Be thicker soon.
To comprehend those works would be impossible without maps and plans; to take a lively interest in them impossible, likewise, save to an engineer or a fen-man.
Then the two Saxons, mounting their ponies, directed them into the stream, and they were off, the fen-man glancing curiously every now and then at his passengers. He made no remarks, however, but managed his boat so skilfully that Richard Wood hardly realized that he was on the water, and, in due time, found himself set ashore with his men on the other side.
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