and as he chopped the Old Man whimpered and wept.
“Do you want that cut down, gaffer?” asked Dick.
“Yes, boy.”
“All of it, gaffer?”
“Yes, boy.”
“There's more than you'll need to your salad,” said Dick, taking out his
penknife.
“I do like mustard-and-cress,” said Audrey.
“You're welcome to it all, pretty. No more salads for me.”
“Thank you, gaffer,” said Dick. “We'll take a bunch, then, for it goes
down nicely for supper.” And he put a handful into his bucket.
Audrey said, “What are you crying for?” and wiped the Old Man's eyes
with her pocket-handkerchief.
“Her,” said the Old Man, and pointed to the name. “Let cress go, since
she be gone.”
“I'm so sorry,” said Audrey, and wiped her own eyes with her
pocket-handkerchief.
“Heaven's a good place they say,” said Dick, and wiped his eyes with the
back of his hand.
“Ay, if 'twere heaven,” sobbed the Old Man, “instead of betwixt and
between.”
“Where's that?” said Dick.
“Top of windmill sail,” said the Old Man, “and never a stir in the air.
All the folk is gone to blow her down, but I misdoubt me they'll do it.”
“We've come in the nick of time,” said Sir John. “Dick, here's work to
be done!” And he sat down on a chopping block and began to polish his
shield with great energy.
“We'll just go along, sir,” said Dick; but the Knight was already lost
in the adventure to come, and did not hear him.
So Dick and Audrey went through the village and came to the windmill,
where the villagers were assembled, hissing and blowing with all their
might. Their chests panted and their cheeks puffed as though they would
burst. But they could not budge the sails, to the topmost of which clung
a little girl, whose silky hair flew out all round her head like bubbles
of sunlight. With one arm she squeezed to her breast an orange cat with
golden eyes.
“Oh Dick!” said Audrey, and clasped her hands.
“You stay here,” said Dick, and ran into the mill; but she followed at
his heels. They mounted the stairs, and when they were come to the top
Audrey caught his sleeve, and said again, “Oh Dick!”
“Well, it's got to be done,” said Dick. “There's no call to be
frightened, lass.” For her cheeks had turned as white as linen laid to
bleach on the grass in the sun.
Dick clambered out to the sails, and all the people below began to
cheer, and Audrey watched him with her heart in her mouth. When he
brought them in, the child was frowning and the cat mewing. But Audrey
held out her arms and took them both to her, and then the child began to
smile and the cat to purr.
“Oh, Barbie!” said Audrey, “what _did_ you get up there for?”
“I wanted to see,” said the child.
“Did you see?” said Dick.
“Yes,” said Barbie, “I saw the Murray River.”
“That's where we're going,” said Audrey, with joy in her face.
“Then I will come too,” said Barbie, “and so will Rufus.”
They went down the stairs, and as they came out of the mill the people
cheered more than ever, and a woman ran to meet them.
“Mother,” said Barbie, “I'm going to the Murray River with the big boy
and girl.”
“Very well, pet,” said the woman, “but be back by bedtime.”
“She shall be, ma'am,” said Audrey.
Sir John, who at this moment arrived, stepped forward with his bright
shield, looked earnestly at the child, and said, “Do you then know the
way to the Murray River?”
“Yes, I do,” said Barbie, “as far as the Round-House; and then it was
tea-time. But I'm going all the way to-day, if it's tea-time or not.”
“Dick,” said the Knight, his eyes shining, “heaven has sent us an angel.
Come, children.”
The child kissed her mother farewell, and away strode Sir John, and
Dick, and Audrey after him, with Barbie skipping between them; and Paul
the pig, and Emily the hen, and Rufus the cat brought up the rear.
“What a bright shield he's got,” said Barbie.
“Yes,” said Dick, “it's as bright as a new shilling. There's no man in
Sussex with a shield so bright, is there?” He looked at Audrey, and she
looked tenderly after her Knight, and said, “No man.”