Behind them, was the high, steep, wooded bank, rising right up. Before
them was a little strip of pebbly beach, and little wavelets of the
river washing past it. Beyond lay the broad stream, all bright in the
summer sunshine, with the great blue hills rising up misty and blue in
the distance. Nothing else; a little curve in the shore on each side
shut them in from all that was above or below near at hand.

"Why this is a fine place," repeated the Captain. "Were you ever here
before?"

"Not in a long time," said Daisy. "I have been here with June."

"June! Aren't we here with June now?"

"_Now_!--O I don't mean the month--I mean mamma's black June," said
Daisy laughing.

"Well that is the first time I ever heard of a black June!" muttered the
Captain. "Does she resemble her name or her colour?"

"She isn't much like the month of June," said Daisy. "I don't think she
is a very cheerful person."

"Then I wouldn't come here any more with her--or anywhere else."

"I don't," said Daisy. "I don't go with her, or with anybody else--much.
Only I go with Sam and the pony."

"Where's Ransom? Don't he go with you?"