ake his mistress feel what she
had done. Therefore, with a sad nudge of white old nose, he drew her
attention to his last expression, sighed as plainly as a man could sigh,
and fixed upon her meek eyes, telling volumes.

"I know, I know that it is all my fault," cried Mary, with the brine
almost smothering her tears, as she flung her arms around his neck; "but
I never will do it again, my darling. And I never will run away and let
you drown. Oh, if I only had a knife! I can not even cast your bridle
off; the tongue has stuck fast, and my hands are cramped. But, Keppel, I
will stay, and be drowned with you."

This resolve was quite unworthy of Mary's common-sense; for how could
her being drowned with Keppel help him? However, the mere conception
showed a spirit of lofty order; though the body might object to be
ordered under. Without any thought of all that, she stood, resolute,
tearful, and thoroughly wet through, while she hunted in her pocket for
a penknife.

The nature of all knives is, not to be found; and Mary's knife was loyal
to its kind. Then she tugged at her pony, and pulled out his bit, and
labored again at the obstinate strap; but nothing could be done with it.
Keppel must be drowned, and he did not seem to care, but to think that
the object of his birth was that. If the stupid little fellow would
have only stepped forward, the hands of his mistress, though cramped and
benumbed, might perhaps have unbuckled his stiff and sodden reins, or
even undone their tangle; on the other hand, if he would have jerked
with all his might, something or other must have given way; but stir he
would not from one fatuous position, which kept all his head-gear on the
strain, but could not snap it. Mary even struck him with her heavy bag
of stones, to make him do something; but he only looked reproachful.

"Was there ever such a stupid?" the poor girl cried, with the water
rising almost to her waist, and the inner waves beginning to dash over
her, while the outer billows threatened to rush in and crush them both.
"But I will not abuse you any more, poor Keppel. What will dear father
say? Oh, what will he think of it?"

Then she burst into a fit of sobs, and leaned against the pony, to
support her from a rushing wave which took her breath away, and she
thought that she would never try to look up any more, but shut her eyes
to all the rest of it. But suddenly she heard a loud shout and a splash,
and found herself caught up an