utched the grass on the bank, and he crawled out, with
the water streaming down out of his clothes, and his short hair gummed,
as it were, to his head.

"Here!" he cried; "where's my fish?"

"Fish, sir!" cried the doctor; "you ought to be very thankful that
you've saved your life."

"O Dexter!" cried Helen.

"I say, don't touch me," cried the boy, as she caught at his hand. "I'm
so jolly wet."

He was like a sponge just lifted out of a pail, and already about him
there was a pool.

"Here, quick, sir; run up to the house and change your clothes," cried
the doctor.

"But I must get my fish, sir."

"Fish!" cried the doctor angrily; "that's not the way to fish."

"Yes, it was, sir; and I caught one."

"You caught one!"

"Yes, sir; a beauty."

"Look here, Dexter," cried the doctor, catching him by his wet arm; "do
you mean to tell me that you dived into the river like that and caught a
fish!"

"No, sir; I fell in when I was getting my line out of the tree."

"Oh, I see."

"Beg pardon, sir," said Dan'l sourly; "but he've broke a great branch
off this here tree."

"Well, I couldn't help it," said Dexter, in an ill-used tone. "I caught
my line in the tree, and was obliged to get up and fetch it, and--stop a
minute. I can see it. All right."

He ran off along the river-bank till they saw him stoop just where the
wall dipped down into the river. There he found the rod floating close
to the edge, and, securing it, he soon after drew in the loose branch he
had cut off the tree, and disentangled his line, with the little roach
still on the hook.

"There!" he cried in triumph, as he ran back with rod, line, and fish;
"look at that, Miss Grayson, isn't it a beauty, and--What are you
laughing at!"

This was at Peter Cribb, who was grinning hugely, but who turned away,
followed by Dan'l.

"Them as is born to be hanged'll never be drowned," grumbled the old
gardener sourly, as the two men went away.

"No fear of him being drowned," said Peter. "Swims like a cork."

"It's disgusting; that's what I say it is," growled Dan'l; "disgusting."

"What's disgusting?" said Peter.

"Why, they cuddles and makes a fuss over a boy as is a reg'lar noosance
about the place, just as any other varmint would be. Wish he had
drowned himself. What call was there for me to come and bring a rake!"

"Ah, he's a rum un, that he is," said Peter. "And master's a rum un;
and how they can take to that boy, Miss Helen speci