ff his boots.

The next moment, he had dived in the direction in which he believed
Jill to be.

Mavis was all concern for her pet. Although she knew that, more likely
than not, she would never see her alive again, she scarcely suffered
pain at all. Although incapable of feeling, her mind noted trivial
things with photographic accuracy--a bit of straw on a bush, a white
cloud near the sun, the lonely appearance of an isolated pollard
willow. Meantime, Perigal had unsuccessfully dived once; the second
time, he was under the water for such a long time that Mavis was
tempted to cover her eyes with her hands. Then, to her unspeakable
relief, he reappeared, much exhausted, but holding out of the water a
bedraggled and all but drowned Jill.

"Bravo! bravo!" cried Mavis.

"Give me a hand, or have Jill!" gasped Perigal.

Mavis put one foot in the punt in order to take Jill. She held her
beloved friend for a moment against her heart, to put her on the floor
of the punt and extend a helping hand to Perigal.

"How can I ever thank you?" she asked, as he stood upon the bank with
the water dripping from his clothes.

"Easily."

"How?"

"By coming with me to Broughton."

"But Jill!"

"She'll be all right. See, she's better already."

He spoke truly. Jill was alternately licking her paws and feebly
shaking herself.

"But what about you? You ought to go home at once and run all the way."

"I shall be all right. Are you going to Broughton?"

"On one condition."

"And what might that be--that I don't go with you?"

"That you run all the way and, when you get there, you borrow a change
of clothes."

"Then you'll really come?"

"Since you wish it. I couldn't do less."

"What did I tell you? But there's an inn on the left, the first one you
come to. Wait for me there; if they can't lend me a change I'll have to
get one somewhere else and come back there."

"Only if you go at once. You've waited too long already."

Perigal started, carrying his dry boots and coat.

"Faster! faster!" cried Mavis, seeing that he was inclined to linger.

She followed behind; she did not move with her customary swinging
stride, Jill's extremity having sapped her strength. Directly Perigal
was out of sight, she caught Jill in her arms, to smother her wet head
and body with kisses.

"Oh, my darling! my darling!" she murmured. "To think how nearly we
were parted forever!"

It was with something of an effort that she pursued her wa