For a moment the young man's thoughts were with his books, and it seemed that he stood there in the canal for quite a while in a sort of daze, with the water rushing by his legs.

Then mechanically he carried the girl to the bank and would have set her down again with her companions, but she clung to him so closely and with such terror in her eyes that he lifted her into his arms and talked reassuringly to her: "There, now," he said, "you're only a bit wet.

Don't cry." "Take me home.

I--I want to go home," sobbed the girl.
"Sure," said Dorian.

"Come on everybody." He led the way, and the rest of the children followed.
"I suppose the party's about over, anyway," suggested he.
"I--I guess so." They walked on in silence for a time; then Carlia said: "I guess I'm heavy." "Not at all", lied the young man bravely, for she was heavier than he had supposed; but she made no offer to walk.