t whining bark were a last good-bye?

In the next moment the Master acted on his second impulse,
regardless of the shouts he heard behind him. His shoes and coat
were shed from him in a moment, and he, too, leaped the rail,
reaching the warm, blue water feet first, and striking out at once
towards Finn and the child. As a swimmer his powers were not at all
above the average.

For all his inexperience of the water Finn was a quicker swimmer
than the Master, and he reached little Tim within a very few
seconds, and seized the youngster firmly between his great jaws,
while turning in the water towards the ship he had left. Finn was
careful enough to prevent his teeth from injuring the child; there
was no more fear of his doing that than of his biting the hand of a
man who caressed him. But he was no trained life-saver, and it did
not occur to him to notice which side up the child was held. Also,
a few seconds later, he caught sight of the Master in the water,
and that made him loose his hold of Tim, in his haste to reach one
whose claim upon him he regarded as infinitely greater. This was
only momentary, however. Some instinct told him he must not leave
undone the task he had been set, and with a swift movement he
plucked the child to him again, and exerted all his great strength
to reach the Master. This time little Tim's face was uppermost; but
his small arms hung limply and helplessly at right angles from his
body.

It was only a matter of seconds now till Finn and the Master met in
the water. The Master seized little Tim, and Finn seized the
Master, by one arm.

"Down, boy! Get down, Finn!" shouted the Master; and Finn
obediently loosed his hold, and swam anxiously round and round his
friend in short circles, while the Master trod water, and held Tim
high above him, head down, and body bent in the middle.

It was less than three minutes later that the second officer of the
liner shouted, "Way enough!" and a big white lifeboat slid past the
Master's shoulder. The second officer leaned far out, and snatched
little curly-headed Tim from the Master's hands, passing him
straight to the waiting arms of another officer, the ship's
surgeon.

"Help the dog in!" shouted the Master, as two sailorly hands
reached out toward himself. But Finn was watchfully circling behind
him. It was rather an undertaking getting the great Wolfhound into
the lifeboat; but it was presently accomplished, the Master
thrusting behind, and two