although she was such a little girl, eight years old or thereabouts, she
turned to the stream in a bashful manner, and began to watch the water,
and rubbed one leg against the other.

I, for my part, being vexed at her behaviour to me, took up all my
things to go, and made a fuss about it; to let her know I was going.
But she did not call me back at all, as I had made sure she would do;
moreover, I knew that to try the descent was almost certain death to
me, and it looked as dark as pitch; and so at the mouth I turned round
again, and came back to her, and said, "Lorna."

"Oh, I thought you were gone," she answered; "why did you ever come
here? Do you know what they would do to us, if they found you here with
me?"

"Beat us, I dare say, very hard; or me, at least. They could never beat
you."

"No. They would kill us both outright, and bury us here by the water;
and the water often tells me that I must come to that."

"But what should they kill me for?"

"Because you have found the way up here, and they never could believe
it. Now, please to go; oh, please to go. They will kill us both in
a moment. Yes, I like you very much"--for I was teasing her to say
it--"very much indeed, and I will call you John Ridd, if you like; only
please to go, John. And when your feet are well, you know, you can come
and tell me how they are."