FORDING. 11

that the bridge was perfectly safe, for he thought
they would have a good bridge on a road so much
travelled as that appeared to be.

He was, however, in error in all his calculations
on the subject; for, as it happened, there was no’
bridge at all. He learned this before he came to
the river; for, when they had reached the bottom
of the hill, they met a man on horseback, and so
they stopped to inquire of him about their road.
They asked him if there was a good bridge over
that stream; and he said that there was no bridge
at all, but that there was a very good place to
ford.

“QO, T am afraid to ford,” said Lucy’s mother.

“So am I,” said Lucy.

“Ts the water deep?” said her father to the
man.

« No, sir,” replied the man, “ not if you keep in
the right place, — just in the edge of the rips.”
So saying, the man rode on.

Lucy’s father then moved his horse slowly on
down the road, which gradually descended into a
ravine, where Lucy could hear the water roaring.
Lucy said that she was afraid to have the horse
wade through the river.

So am I,” said her mother.