swim towards the island as fast as ever he could. But
weighted with his long fur, and unaccustomed to swimming--for he had
never in his life before been in the water, and how he had learned to
swim always remained a mystery to the children--he yet struck out
valiantly. He knew that he was swimming for his very life, and he
never ceased paddling for one moment.

The children watched the race in a state of frantic excitement, while
Jim ran up and down the bank looking in vain for something to throw at
the swans and drive them away. And now came a moment during which the
children literally held their breath. Jumbo was within two or three
yards of the island when the foremost of the two swans stooped its long
neck and made a savage grab at his hind legs. It seemed impossible
that the cruel beak could miss him, yet it did; for poor Jumbo was by
that time so exhausted that he suddenly sank and disappeared. The
angry, surprised swan dived his head down in search of him; but the
current, which swept round here with some force, carried Jumbo away,
and finally flung him, a bedraggled and most unhappy-looking rabbit, on
to a corner of the island. Drusie always declared afterwards that
Jumbo had dived and swum under water; but whether that was true or not,
saved he certainly was. Luckily for him the swans did not follow him,
but contented themselves with sailing majestically up and down between
the island and the bank, ready, if he showed the least sign of taking
to the water again, to pursue him. But Jumbo had had enough of
swimming to last him all his life, and preferred to stay where he was
rather than venture again into the river.

But what was to happen next? They could not go home and leave Jumbo on
the island, and yet there seemed no way in which they could get at him.
And at any moment the cross gamekeeper might appear, and at this
thought Drusie glanced round uneasily.

As she did so she gave a little jump, for running quickly towards them
was somebody who, she was afraid at first, might be the gamekeeper
himself. But a second glance showed her that the new-comer was only a
boy, and a very nice-looking boy too, with merry, dark-blue eyes and a
friendly manner.

"Hallo!" he said, rather breathlessly. "Is anything the matter? I
heard a lot of shouting, and I came to see if anybody had tumbled into
the river. But you are all quite dry."

"Yes, we are all right," Drusie explained hurriedly. "But one of our