At this the urchins could barely suppress a shout of delight--they did, however, suppress it--and craned forward to see him splash.

The curate waded slowly to the middle, getting deeper and deeper, and then suddenly found firmer footing, and walked the rest of the way with the water barely over his boots.

After he was through he cleansed his boots on a wisp of grass and set off at a good pace, for the ground past the pool began to rise, and the lane was consequently drier.

The women turned again to their acorns, remarking, in a tone with something like respect in it, 'He didn't stop for the mud, you: did a' ?' Presently the curate reached the highway with its hard surface, and again increased his pace.

The hedges here were cut each side, and as he walked rapidly, leaning forward, his shovel-hat and shoulders were visible above them, and his coat tails floated in the breeze of his own progress.