"One, two, three, cock warning!" he shouted, ran by me swiftly, and

plunged into the river with a tremendous splash.

I felt horrified, but the next moment his head reappeared bobbing about,

and he swam along easily and well.

"Oh it's so lovely," he cried. "Come along."

"All right!" cried one of his friends, sitting down on the edge of the

bank, and lowering himself in gently, to stand for a few moments up to

his arm-pits, and then duck his head down twice, rubbing his eyes to get

the water out, and then stooping down and beginning to swim slowly and

laboriously, and with a great deal of puffing.

"Oh, what a cowardly way of getting in!" said the third, who stood on

the bank, hesitating.

"Well, let's see you, then," cried George Day, who was swimming close at

hand. "Jump in."

"Oh, I can't jump in like you do," said the other; "it gives me the

headache."

"Why, you're afraid."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. Come in, or I'll pull you down."

"There!"

The boy jumped in feet first, and as soon as he came up he struggled to

the bank, and puffed and panted and squeezed the water out of his hair.

"Oh my, isn't it jolly cold!" he cried. "It takes all my breath away."

"Cold!" cried the others; "it's lovely. Here you, Dennison, come in."

"I can't swim," I said, feeling a curious shrinking on the one side,

quite a temptation on the other.

"And you never will," cried George Day, "if you don't try. It's so

easy: look here!"

He swam a few yards with the greatest ease, turned round, and began

swimming slowly back.

"Go on--faster," I cried, for I was interested.

"Can't," he cried, "tide runs so sharp. If I didn't mind I should be

swept right away. Come in. I'll soon teach you."

I shook my head.

"Oh, you are a fellow. Come on."

"No, I sha'n't bathe," I said in a doubtful tone.

"Oh, here's a chap! I say isn't he a one! Always tied to his mother's

apron-string: can't play cricket, or rounders, or football, and can't

swim. I say, isn't he a molly."

The others laughed, and being now out of their misery, as they termed

it, they were splashing about and enjoying the water, but neither of

them went far from the bank.

"I say, why don't you come in?" cried the boy who jumped in feet first.

"You will like it so."

"Yes: come along, and try to swim. I can take five strokes. Look

here."

I watched while the boy went along puffing and panting, and making a

great deal of splashing.

"Get out!" said the other; "he has got one leg on the ground. This is

the way to learn to swim. Look here, Dennison, my father showed me."




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