e saw the Collie rush forward with
an impetus that sent both shaggy mahogany shoulders far out of water.
Striking with brilliant accuracy, the dog avoided Wefers' flailing arms
and feet, and clinched his strong teeth into the back of the drowning
man's collar.

Thus, Lad was safe from the blindly clinging arms and from a kick. He
had chosen the one strategic hold; and he maintained it. A splashing of
the unwieldy body made both heads vanish under water, for a bare
half-second, as the Master poised himself on the string-piece for a
dive. But the dive was not made.

For the heads reappeared. And now, whether from palsy of fright or from
belated intelligence,--Wefers ceased his useless struggles; though not
his strangled shrieks for help. The collie, calling on all his wiry
power, struck out for the dock; keeping the man's face above water, and
tugging at his soggy weight with a scientific strength that sent the
two, slowly but steadily, shoreward.

After the few feet of the haul, Wefers went silent. Into his blankly
affrighted face came a look of foolish bewilderment. The Master,
remembering his wife's hint, and certain now of Lad's ability to
complete the rescue, stood waiting on the string-piece. Once, for a
second, Wefers' eyes met his; but they were averted in queer haste.

As Lad tugged his burden beneath the stringpiece, the Master bent down
and gripped the sodden wet shoulders of the constable. One
none-too-gentle heave, and Wefers was lying in a panting and dripping
heap on the clean dock. Lad, relieved of his heavy load, swam leisurely
around to shore. It had been a delightfully thrilling day, thus far,
for the collie. But he was just a bit tired.

By the time the dazed constable was able to sit up and peer owlishly
into the unloving faces of the Mistress and the Master, Lad had shaken
himself thrice and was pattering across the dock toward the group. From
the two humans, Wefers' gaze shifted to the oncoming dog. Then he
glanced back at the sullen depths of lake water beyond the
string-piece. Then he let his head sink on his chest. For perhaps a
whole minute, he sat thus; his eyes shut, his breath still fast and
hysterical.

Nobody spoke. The Mistress looked down at the drenched man. Then she
winked at the equally silent Master, and laid a caressing little hand
on Lad's wet head. At length, Wefers lifted his face and glowered at
the trio. But, as his eye met Lad's quizzically interested gaze, he
fidgeted.