When they came to a very shallow place -LRB- the Golden Hind drew quite three inches of water -RRB- they disembarked and scuffled her over the gravel by her tow-rope , and when they reached the overgrown banks beyond the garden they pulled themselves up stream by the low branches . That day they intended to discover the North Cape like ` Othere , the old sea-captain ' , in the book of verses which Una had brought with her ; but on account of the heat they changed it to a voyage up the Amazon and the sources of the Nile . Even on the shaded water the air was hot and heavy with drowsy scents , while outside , through breaks in the trees , the sunshine burned the pasture like fire . The kingfisher was asleep on his watching-branch , and the blackbirds scarcely took the trouble to dive into the next bush . Dragonflies wheeling and clashing were the only things at work , except the moorhens and a big Red Admiral , who flapped down out of the sunshine for a drink . When they reached Otter Pool the Golden Hind grounded comfortably on a shallow , and they lay beneath a roof of close green , watching the water trickle over the flood-gates down the mossy brick chute from the mill-stream to the brook . A big trout -- the children knew him well -- rolled head and shoulders at some fly that sailed round the bend , while , once in just so often , the brook rose a fraction of an inch against all the wet pebbles , and they watched the slow draw and shiver of a breath of air through the tree-tops . Then the little voices of the slipping water began again . ` It 's like the shadows talking , is n't it ? ' said Una . She had given up trying to read . Dan lay over the bows , trailing his hands in the current . They heard feet on the gravel-bar that runs half across the pool and saw Sir Richard Dalyngridge standing over them . ` Was yours a dangerous voyage ? ' he asked , smiling . ` She bumped a lot , sir , ' said Dan . ` There 's hardly any water this summer . ' ` Ah , the brook was deeper and wider when my children played at Danish pirates . Are you pirate-folk ? ' ` Oh no .
We gave up being pirates years ago , ' explained XXXXX .
Dalyngridge Dragonflies Hind Othere Una day moorhens sea-captain tow-rope tree-tops