nd as
her thoughts were fixed on the fragments of the china, she scarcely
attended to the nature of Isabel's question, and said hastily that the
right-hand road led to Morton Park; and so it did, but that was the
coach road, and Mr. Daleham meant to go a much nearer and cleaner way,
upon a raised path across some pleasant meadows.

No sooner had Isabel received the housekeeper's reply than away they
went, and in their eagerness to reach Morton Park, they did not at
first observe that the lane was very dirty; but at last some large
splashes of mud on Isabel's clean frock attracted Arnold's notice, and
he then perceived that his own white stockings and nankeen trousers were
in the same dirty state. What was now to be done? They both felt that it
was highly improper to go to a gentleman's house in such a condition;
but then Arnold said that his father must know that the road was dirty
after so much rain as they had had lately, and as he meant to walk, he
supposed their getting a few splashes was of no consequence. Isabel
agreed with this mode of reasoning, and on they went, expecting every
moment to hear their father's steps behind them.

The lane now became wider and more open to the beams of the sun, which
had dried the pathway; but though they were somewhat out of the mud, the
heat of the sun was so intense they knew not how to bear it, and they
walked as fast as they could in order to get to some shady place. While
they were panting with heat, they suddenly came to a stream that ran
directly across the road, and it had no bridge over it, because foot
passengers rarely came that way.

They were now in the greatest distress. To stand still in the full
burning sun was dreadful, and to go back was equally fatiguing. There
was no place to sit down in that part of the road, but on the opposite
side of the stream three large oak trees were growing, and formed a
pleasant shade over a green bank. Isabel, greatly tired, and almost
fainting with heat, wished she could get to the shady bank; so did
Arnold, and he said he could take off his shoes and stockings, and carry
his sister through the water on his back. This plan was settled; and
they agreed that, when they were over the stream, they would wait on the
bank for their papa, and endeavour to rub off upon the grass the clots
of mud that stuck to their shoes. But either Arnold was not so strong as
he had supposed he was, or Isabel, having her brother's shoes and
stockings to