at water-party made up to go to Twickenham and dine, and
afterwards dance in an empty villa by the river-side, hired expressly for
the purpose. Mr. and Mrs. Leaver were of the company; and it was our
fortune to have a seat in the same boat, which was an eight-oared galley,
manned by amateurs, with a blue striped awning of the same pattern as
their Guernsey shirts, and a dingy red flag of the same shade as the
whiskers of the stroke oar. A coxswain being appointed, and all other
matters adjusted, the eight gentlemen threw themselves into strong
paroxysms, and pulled up with the tide, stimulated by the compassionate
remarks of the ladies, who one and all exclaimed, that it seemed an
immense exertion--as indeed it did. At first we raced the other boat,
which came alongside in gallant style; but this being found an unpleasant
amusement, as giving rise to a great quantity of splashing, and rendering
the cold pies and other viands very moist, it was unanimously voted down,
and we were suffered to shoot a-head, while the second boat followed
ingloriously in our wake.

It was at this time that we first recognised Mr. Leaver. There were two
firemen-watermen in the boat, lying by until somebody was exhausted; and
one of them, who had taken upon himself the direction of affairs, was
heard to cry in a gruff voice, 'Pull away, number two--give it her,
number two--take a longer reach, number two--now, number two, sir, think
you're winning a boat.' The greater part of the company had no doubt
begun to wonder which of the striped Guernseys it might be that stood in
need of such encouragement, when a stifled shriek from Mrs. Leaver
confirmed the doubtful and informed the ignorant; and Mr. Leaver, still
further disguised in a straw hat and no neckcloth, was observed to be in
a fearful perspiration, and failing visibly. Nor was the general
consternation diminished at this instant by the same gentleman (in the
performance of an accidental aquatic feat, termed 'catching a crab')
plunging suddenly backward, and displaying nothing of himself to the
company, but two violently struggling legs. Mrs. Leaver shrieked again
several times, and cried piteously--'Is he dead? Tell me the worst. Is
he dead?'

Now, a moment's reflection might have convinced the loving wife, that
unless her husband were endowed with some most surprising powers of
muscular action, he never could be dead while he kicked so hard; but
still Mrs. Leaver cried, 'Is he