Part 5 (1/2)
”Dead?”
”No; the dog has held its face above water.”
”The dog,--quick! he's sinking!”
”Here!”
”A rope!”
”There!”
”No, no! Catch him by the neck!”
”Save the child first!”
”I've got him!”
”And I've got her!”
”Hang on to the dog! Pull him into the boat, stupid!”
”Why, she's strapped down to something!”
”What is this, anyhow?”
”Pull the dog loose, man!--he'll drown her yet!”
”There!”
”Your knife, Pierre!”
”Hold!”
This was from the river policeman, who held up his bull's-eye lantern so that it threw a yellow glare on the white upturned face.
”She's dead, poor little thing!”
”We shall bring in the body just as it is,” said the official.
”But----”
”That's the law!”
”Tonnerre! Is it the law to let a child drown in one's sight?”
”Oh, she's dead enough, I'm afraid.”
”I don't know about that.”
”Bring it in just as it is,” repeated the official, adjusting a rope to the mysterious thing beneath the body.