ut some
object of interest to the little girl, the boy managed to creep,
unobserved, beneath the chain that extends across the boat, for the
protection of passengers, and, stepping incautiously to the edge
of the boat, fell over into the foaming water.

At the child's scream, the father looked up, and, with a cry of
horror, sprang to the edge of the boat. He would have plunged in,
but, being unable to swim, would only have endangered his own life,
without being able to save his child.

"My child!" he exclaimed in anguish,--"who will save my child? A
thousand--ten thousand dollars to any one who will save him!"

There chanced to be but few passengers on board at the time, and
nearly all these were either in the cabins or standing forward.
Among the few who saw the child fall was our hero.

Now Dick was an expert swimmer. It was an accomplishment which he
had possessed for years, and he no sooner saw the boy fall than he
resolved to rescue him. His determination was formed before he heard
the liberal offer made by the boy's father. Indeed, I must do Dick
the justice to say that, in the excitement of the moment, he did not
hear it at all, nor would it have stimulated the alacrity with which
he sprang to the rescue of the little boy.

Little Johnny had already risen once, and gone under for the second
time, when our hero plunged in. He was obliged to strike out for
the boy, and this took time. He reached him none too soon. Just as
he was sinking for the third and last time, he caught him by the
jacket. Dick was stout and strong, but Johnny clung to him so
tightly, that it was with great difficulty he was able to sustain
himself.

"Put your arms round my neck," said Dick.

The little boy mechanically obeyed, and clung with a grasp
strengthened by his terror. In this position Dick could bear his
weight better. But the ferry-boat was receding fast. It was quite
impossible to reach it. The father, his face pale with terror and
anguish, and his hands clasped in suspense, saw the brave boy's
struggles, and prayed with agonizing fervor that he might be
successful. But it is probable, for they were now midway of the
river, that both Dick and the little boy whom he had bravely
undertaken to rescue would have been drowned, had not a row-boat
been fortunately near. The two men who were in it witnessed the
accident, and hastened to the rescue of our hero.

"Keep up a little longer," they shouted, bending to their oars,
"and