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there hire a boat and go cruising. All of which came to pass. We found a small sailing boat called Sunflower. We insisted upon having a dinghy with it so that we could land when we wanted to — it was a very small canvas dinghy which we were assured would hold two — with care. We didn't know it leaked. We sailed off into the blue, right down Southampton Water and out into the Solent and made for Gowes.
In my ignorance I had always thought that the water got gradually deeper as you left the shore, was at its deepest half-way across and then again gradually shoaled till you touched on the other side. Nothing of the kind; there are hills and dales under water just as there are on land. Utterly astonished we ran on to the Bramble Bank; most improperly placed half-way across to the Isle of Wight. So I bought a chart-book of the district — my dearest possession for years to come.
Next day we set sail for the west and the wind and spring tide were with us. All was well for some hours. Then the breeze dropped and the tide grew stronger as we swept into shallower water. We could see the beach stones beneath us rushing backwards and gradually rising closer to us. The wind failed completely, the boat was out of control and turned sideways. The stones rose nearer and we could do nothing but wait. Suddenly we scrunched upon them, lifted a little and then dropped over into deep water on the other side, and the wind breathed again. So did we. It all seemed most uncanny but when we thought it over afterwards we realised how it came about.
We made Poole Harbour on that tide — pretty good going — and anchored ofFBrownsea Island, which I afterwards thought of trying to buy to build film studios on. A glorious idea. Then we rowed in the canvas dinghy to Sandbanks, and found the leak! We stretched luxuriously on the sand — the houses were not there then — and studied the chart-book. Suddenly I realised that the wind had freshened a good deal — there were white caps on the wavelets, and if we didn't start at once we shouldn't be able to. We just managed it but there was nothing to spare. We looked for the chart-book to go on with our studies, and remembered we had left it on the sand and the tide was rising. That sacred chart-book! I said I would go back and fetch it; there was no risk for one in that crazy cockle-shell but it was a different matter for two. But John said he would go as he was lighter than I and he couldn't risk having to take a dead fiance back to his sister. But I wouldn't
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