Part 12 (1/2)

THE RESCUE DOG

Bunny Brown and his sister Sue had often been in the water bathing. They had even been allowed to go in the ocean, a little way, when their father or mother was with them, and they were just beginning to learn to swim.

But to fall suddenly into the water, with all one's clothes on, is enough to frighten anybody, even someone older than Sue; so it is no wonder she began splas.h.i.+ng about, instead of trying to swim, as her father had told her to do.

Bunny, for a moment, did not know what to do, but he had one great thought, and that was that he must help his sister. He was a little distance away from her, and he called out:

”I'm coming, Sue! I'll get you out! Don't be afraid!”

But Sue was afraid. Her head went under water, and she had swallowed some, for she had forgotten another thing her father had told her, and this was:

”When your head goes under water, hold your breath--don't breathe--and then the water won't get in your mouth and nose.”

But Sue forgot this, and she was choking and gasping in the river.

Luckily it was not deep, and he might easily have stood up at the place where she had fallen in. The water would not have been quite up to her waist.

”I'll get you out, Sue! I'll get you!” cried Bunny.

He ran toward Sue, but before he reached her there was heard a loud barking, and a big, s.h.a.ggy dog rushed down to the edge of the island.

Right into the water the dog jumped, and, getting hold of Sue's dress, he pulled her up on the sh.o.r.e.

For a moment Sue lay there, still choking and gasping, while the dog stood over her, wagging his tail, and barking as hard as he could bark.

He seemed to know that everything was all right now.

”Oh, Sue! Sue!” cried Bunny, rus.h.i.+ng up to his sister, and putting his arms around her. ”You aren't drowned now; are you, Sue?”

”I--I don't--don't know--Bun-Bunny!” she stammered. ”I--I guess I'm 'most drowned, anyhow. Oh, take me home! I want my mamma!”

”I'll take you home right away!” Bunny promised. ”But wasn't the dog good to pull you out?”

The dog shook the water from himself, and wagged his tail harder than ever. He jumped about, barking, and then, with his big red tongue, he licked first Sue's face, and then Bunny's.

Sue was much better now. She could sit up, and, as the river water was not salty, as is the water of the ocean, what she had swallowed of it did not hurt her.

”I guess the dog will lick all the Friday-mud off my face,” she said, smiling at Bunny through her tears.

”The mud's all off anyhow,” said her brother. ”Falling in the river washed you clean.”

”But it got my dress all wet. I don't care, it's an old one.”

”That's good,” said her brother. ”Now we'll go home. Maybe you will be all dry when we get there,” he added hopefully, ”and your dress won't show any wet at all.”

”But I'll have to tell mother I fell in.”

”Oh, of course!”

”But it was a--a accident,” Sue said, speaking the big word slowly. ”Now take me home, Bunny. I don't want to play Friday any more, and I'm hungry.”

The dog jumped about the children, but he kept nearer to Sue. Maybe he thought she belonged to him, now that he had pulled her from the water.