te the place, I plunged head-first in, rose, shook
the water from my eyes, and swam as rapidly as my clothes would allow
towards the spot.

The women set up a cry and the children shrieked, and as I swam steadily
on I could hear away to my left the two women come splashing and wading
through the water till they were opposite to where I was swimming.

"Oh, quick! Quick, my lad!" cried Mrs Gentles; and her agonised voice
sent a thrill through me far more than did the shrieking chorus of the
women as they shouted words of encouragement to me to proceed.

I did not need the encouragement, for I was swimming my best, not making
rapid strokes, but, as Uncle Jack had often shown me in river and sea,
taking a long, slow, vigorous stroke, well to the end, one that is more
effective, and which can be long sustained.

But though I tried my best, I was still some feet from the spot where I
had seen the floating object, when it seemed to fade away, and there was
nothing visible when I reached the place.

"There! There!" shrieked Mrs Gentles; "can't you see him--there?"

She could not see any more than I could, as I raised myself as high as
possible, treading water, and then paddling round like a dog in search
of something thrown in which has sunk.

The little fellow had gone, and there was nothing for it but to dive,
and as I had often done before, I turned over and went down into the
black water to try and find the drowning child.

I stayed down as long as I could, came up, and looked round amidst a
tremendous chorus of cries, and then dived again like a duck.

Pray, don't think I was doing anything brave or heroic, for it seemed to
me nothing of the kind. I had been so drilled by my uncles in leaping
off banks, and out of a boat, and in diving after eggs thrown down in
the clear water, that, save the being dressed, it was a very ordinary
task to me; in fact, I believe I could have swum steadily on for an hour
if there had been any need, and gone on diving as often as I liked.

So I went under again and again, with the current always taking me on
toward the sluice, and giving way to it; for, of course, the child
would, I felt, be carried that way too.

Every time I rose there was the shrieking and crying of the women and
the prayerful words of the mother bidding me try; and had not her woman
friend clung to her arm, I believe she would have struggled into deep
water and been drowned.

I caught glimpses of her, and o