Measured Current

I walked past the gate and down to the low stone culvert where clear water trickles along a narrow masonry flume. A stiff, curled beech leaf rested on the curb, its curved hull intact. I pressed the steel pin of my miniature red dart into a patch of velvet moss to keep it upright and secure. Downstream, I laid my notched pine gauge flat across the stone banks to establish a finish line. Crouching low, I released the leaf prow-first into the centre of the flow. It caught the smooth draw of the current, rounded a submerged pebble without dragging, and crossed beneath the wooden marker in six steady beats. Transit confirmed.