, "and Mr. Pertell can
work it into some of his plays." He ceased operating the camera now,
as Paul and Alice were too close.

"Are you much hurt?" asked the young rescuer, anxiously, as he looked
for a grassy spot whereon to place his burden.

"No--no," returned Alice, "I was more frightened than hurt. Will you
please cut that line?" she asked, pointing to the tangle of the fish
cord around her feet.

In an instant Paul had out his knife, and cut the string.

"Well, you two are pretty wet," said Russ. "How did it happen?"

"The bank gave way with us," explained Paul. "It's too bad, Alice.
That dress is spoiled, I'm afraid," he added, ruefully.

"It doesn't matter," she answered. She could laugh now, but she could
not repress a shudder as she looked back at the deep water of the
eddy. They were on the other side of the stream now.

"It was an old one, Paul," Alice went on, "and I can save it to do
some more water-scenes with. For probably, after Mr. Pertell hears
that Russ has the basis for a drama with someone in it being saved
from drowning, he'll want the rest, and we may have to do some more
swimming."

"I wouldn't mind in the least," he said; "but next time I hope, for
your own sake, you don't get entangled in a fish line."

"That was pretty risky," said Russ. "But you two had better be
getting back to the farmhouse now, and into some dry things."

"Indeed, yes," agreed Alice. "I'm sure I must look like a fright.
Papa will be so worried, and Ruth, too. I wish I could slip in the
back way so they wouldn't see me until I had time to change."

"I'll manage it," spoke Russ. "I'll go on ahead, and if any of our
folks are in the back I'll bring them around to the front and hold
them there while you slip in. I guess, Paul, you don't care to be
seen in that rig; do you?"

"I should say not! That water was certainly wet!"

He had taken off his coat and was wringing it out, while Alice
managed to get some of the water from the lower part of her skirts.

"Then you aren't going to swim back?" asked Russ.

"I should say not!" exclaimed Paul, with energy. "Isn't there a
bridge somewhere around here, where we can cross?"

"About half a mile down," answered Russ, "I came that way."

"Are you sure you're all right, and able to walk, Alice?" Paul
inquired, anxiously. "If not, I could go for a carriage. That is, if
you will wait."

"Of course I can walk," she answered, promptly, as she tried to
arrange her hair