o much
for her.

"Hush up, Marjorie!" cried Molly. "You just keep still and hang on! I can
swim!"

With an eel-like agility Molly let go of the boat, and darted through the
water. She was really a good swimmer, and her thin, muscular little limbs
struck out frantically in all directions. Diving swiftly, she bumped
against Kitty, and grasping her arm firmly, she began to tread water
rapidly. As King was doing this on the other side of Kitty, the three
shot up to the surface, and King and Molly grasped the boat with firm
hands, holding Kitty between them.

Kitty was limp, but conscious; and though King was exhausted, he held on
to Kitty, and held on to the boat, with a desperate grip.

"Wait a minute, girls," he gasped, sputtering and stammering; "I'll be
all right in a minute. Now as long as you hold fast to the boat, you
know you can't drown! How are you getting along, Mops?"

"All right," called Marjorie from the other side of the boat; "but I want
to come over there by you."

"Don't you do it! You stay there and balance the boat. It's lucky you're
a heavyweight! Now you girls do exactly as I tell you to."

King did not mean to be dictatorial, but he was getting his breath back,
and he knew that although their heads were above water, still strenuous
measures were necessary.

"What shall we do?" shouted Marjorie.

"Well, we must try to get this boat to shore. And as we're much nearer
the other shore than our own side, we'll try to get it over there, for we
don't want to cross the river. Now hang on tight, and wiggle your feet
like paddles. If you kick out hard enough, I think we can get the old
thing ashore."

It wasn't an easy task, nor a quick one, but after a while, by vigorous
kicking, in accordance with King's continued directions, they did succeed
in reaching shallow water.

"Now we can walk," said King, "but we may as well hang on to the boat and
not let her drift away."

So half scrambling, half crawling, the children pushed through the
shallow water and up on to the shore, dragging the upturned boat with
them. The shore just here was shelving and sandy, otherwise it is
doubtful if they could have reached it at all. But at last four
shivering, dripping children stood on solid ground, and looked at each
other.

"You're an old trump, King," cried Marjorie, flinging her arms around
her brother's neck, and kissing his wet cheeks; "you're a hero, and a
life-saver, and a Victoria Cross, and everythin