ted
on beside his brother, both increasing their pace as they heard the
sound of a splash and shouting.

"Faster!" roared the captain, and they ran on till they got out from
among the trees on to a clearing, beautifully green now, but showing
plain by several signs that it was sometimes covered by the glittering
river which ran deep down now below its banks.

There before them were Rifle and Tim, just in the act of taking off
their last garments, and the former was first and about to take a run
and a header off the bank into the deep waters below, when, quick as
thought, the captain raised his gun, and without putting it to his
shoulder, held it pistol way, and fired in the air.

"Now you can shoot!" cried the captain; and again, without stopping to
ask questions, Uncle Jack obeyed, the two shots sounding almost
deafening in the mist that hung over the ravine.

As the captain had anticipated, the sound of the shots stopped Rifle at
the very edge of the river, and made him make for his clothes, and what
was of even greater importance, as he reached the bank where the river
curved round in quite a deep eddy beneath them, there was Norman twenty
yards away swimming rapidly toward a shallow place where he could land.

Words would not have produced such an effect.

"Now," said the captain, panting for breath from exertion and
excitement, "watch the water. Keep your gun to your shoulder, and fire
the moment there is even a ripple anywhere near the boy."

Uncle Jack obeyed, while as Norman looked up, he saw himself apparently
covered by the two guns, and at once dived like a dabchick.

"Madness! madness!" groaned the captain; "has he gone down to meet his
fate. What are you loaded with?"

"Ball," said Uncle Jack, laconically.

"Better lie down and rest your piece on the edge of the bank. You must
not miss."

As they both knelt and rested the guns, Norman's head appeared.

"I say, don't," he shouted. "I see you. Don't do that."

"Ashore, quick!" roared the captain, so fiercely that the boy swam
harder.

"No," roared the captain again; "slowly and steadily."

"Yes, father, but don't, don't shoot at me. I'm only bathing."

"Don't talk; swim!" cried the captain in a voice of thunder; and the boy
swam on, but he did not make rapid way, for the tide, which reached up
to where they were, was running fast, and as he swam obliquely across
it, he was carried rapidly down.

"What have I done--what does it mean?