shouted by the keeper and their
playmates, come forward, looking sheepishly pleased at their momentary
importance.

"Go to the roof and dive," commands the keeper.

In a few seconds they appear on the pebbled roof opposite, thin-limbed,
brown, and lithe as Arabs.

"Ready--dive!"

One after another the heads are bowed, hands are clasped palm to palm
and pointed forward, and away they go, head-first like frogs. Three
splashes mark where they go under; three lines of bubbles across the
bath tell where the glossy heads will come up.

"Bravo! bravo! well done!" cries Uncle Fritz.

"Dive backward, and swim oar stroke," directs the keeper.

Nothing loath, the boys mount the railings, the swimmers making way for
them. One, two, three. Down they go on their backs, come up like corks,
throw their arms high in air, bring them down full length behind their
heads, draw back their feet, and with an oar-like sweep of their limbs
make long darts through the water.

"How splendid!" observes Dick, turning to his uncle.

"Turn somersaults," shouts the keeper.

"Goody gracious! that's what they do up at the Central," says Dick,
laughing heartily, as now six heels, then three heads, alternately
appear on the surface of the water.

"Make a raft," orders the keeper. Immediately Patsy and "Spider" and
"Roxy" are on their backs again; they lock arms, paddle with their feet,
and make quite a respectable raft as they cross the bath.

Suddenly the raft goes to pieces, the swimmers dive, and stay under so
long that Poddie thinks they are gone for good; but no, they are up
again, ready for more fun.

A game of "leap-frog" and "playing porpoise" are both entered into with
fine spirit, for the boys all wish to show off.

A boat-race, in which a dozen boys either "sculled" or swam "oar
stroke," as they fancied, Dick and Poddie declared "quite the best
thing" they had ever seen in the swimming line.

Once more the great bell sounded its notes of doom, and the dripping
crowd gave place to a dry one.

"We're obliged to do this in midsummer," remarked the keeper, alluding
to the clearing-out process, "to give the largest numbers a chance; we
must git through with the boys, for after six the men'll be comin'
along, tired and dusty, from their work."

* * * * *

"What do you think of the free baths, boys?" asked Uncle Fritz, as they
crossed the Battery.

"I'm mighty glad that _poor_ boys have as good a