"Father, what a long way we've come," cried Milly, looking all round.
"Where are we going to?"

"Well, presently, Milly, I am going to turn the boat a little bit, so as
to make her go over to that side of the lake over there. Do you see a
big rock with some trees on it, far away, sticking out into the lake?"

"Yes," said the children, looking very hard.

"Well, that's where we're going to have tea. It's called Birdsnest
Point, because the rocks come out in a point into the lake. But first I
thought I would bring you right out into the middle of the lake, that
you might see how big it is, and look at the mountains all round."
"Father," said Olly, "if a big stone fell down out of the sky and made
ever such a big hole in the boat, and the water came into the hole,
should we all be dead?"

"I daresay we should, Olly, for I don't think I could carry mother, and
Aunt Emma, and Milly, and you on my back, safe home again, and you see
none of you can swim but me."

"Then I hope a big stone won't come," said Milly, feeling just a little
bit frightened at Olly's suggestion.

"Well, big stones don't grow in the sky generally, Milly, if that's any
comfort to you. But do you know, one day long ago, when I was out rowing
on this lake, I thought all of a sudden I heard some one shouting and
screaming, and for a long time I looked and waited, but could see
nothing; till at last I fancied I could see, a long distance off, what
looked like a pole, with something white tied to it. And I rowed, and