A SURREY RIVER. 113 



" No, yer can't, fur the water have riz t'other way 

 now ; yer can't git back agin, more can't we. We 

 means bidin' here till it falls agin, if we stays all 

 day an' night too ; so ye'll hev ter bide with us I 

 reckuns." 



" If that is the case, I am going over it if the 

 water reaches up to my neck, and it will not do 

 that." 



Taking off my boots and slinging them round my 

 neck, I made for the bridge, being confidently as- 

 sured by the four worthy fellows that "they wus 

 goin' ter stand there an' see 'ee drownded, fur none 

 o' us wud go thru that 'ere water fur a gowd watch es 

 big es a fry-pan." 



Making for the bridge, I found the water was only 

 about three feet deep, but it was bitterly cold, and 

 rushing over the bridge like a mill-race. Feeling for 

 the bottom rail with my foot, I grasped the top 

 rail and worked my way gingerly across — the four 

 croakers on the meadow bank roaring at me, as I 

 slowly proceeded, that they "wus goin' ter stand 

 there an' see me drownded, they wus." 



When I was safely over and on dry ground, I 

 told them to come over, assuring them there was no 



H 



