Part 5 (2/2)
”Thank ye,” said Harry mockingly, and twenty yards away. ”Little farther, please. What a lovely day for a swim!”
”Harry, pray come into the boat,” cried Louise excitedly.
”What for? Mind the porpoise.”
He gave a few sharp blows on the water with his hands, raising himself up and turning right over, dived, his legs just appearing above the surface, and then there was an eddy where he had gone down.
”Don't be frightened,” whispered Madelaine, whose voice sounded a little husky.
”Here we are again!” cried Harry, reappearing close to the boat and spluttering the water from his lips, as with all the gaiety of a boy he looked mirthfully at the occupants of the boat. ”Any orders for pearls, ladies?”
”Don't be foolish, Harry,” cried Louise, as he swam close to them.
”Not going to be. I say, Leslie, take the boat-hook away from that fellow, or he'll be making a hole in the bottom of the boat.”
As he spoke, he laid a hand upon the gunwale and looked merrily from one to the other.
”Don't touch me, girls. I'm rather damp,” he said. ”I say, what a capital bathing dress flannels make!”
”Shall I help you in?” said Leslie.
”No, thank ye, I'm all right. As I am in, I may as well have a swim.”
”No, no, Harry, don't be foolish,” cried Louise.
”There, you'd better hitch a rope round me, and tow me behind, or I shall swamp the boat.”
”Harry! what are you going to do?” cried Madelaine, as he looked his hold of the gunwale, and began to swim away.
”Wait a bit and you'll see,” he cried. ”Leslie, you take care of the boat. I shan't be long.”
”But, Harry--”
”All right, I tell you.”
”Where are you going?”
”In here,” he shouted back, and he swam straight to the low opening at the foot of the ma.s.sive granite cliff, paddled a little at the mouth till the efflux of water was over, and then as a fresh wave came, he took a few strokes, gave a shout, and to the horror of the two girls seemed to be sucked right into the opening.
As he disappeared, he gave another shout, a hollow strange echoing ”Good-bye,” and a few moments after there was a run back of the water and a hollow roar, and it needed very little exercise of the imagination to picture the rugged opening as the mouth of some marine monster into which the young man had pa.s.sed.
Volume 1, Chapter III.
DISCORDS.
”Don't be alarmed,” said Leslie quietly; ”I dare say it is like one of the zorns yonder, only the mouth is too narrow for a boat.”
”But it is so foolish,” said Louise, giving him a grateful look.
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