Mrs. Davenport again became absorbed in her work. Suddenly, she was startled by screams from the children. Above the other voices she heard Marian calling: "Don, Don, save her." Poor Mrs. Davenport sprang to her feet in a frenzy of terror. It was as she expected. She saw her beloved Beth sinking. She was so horrified that for a second or two she could not cry out. Harvey was near Beth, but made no effort to rescue her. "Harvey, Harvey," screamed Mrs. Davenport, "save her." But even as she cried another was swimming to the rescue, and this was faithful Don. He had no idea of letting his beloved little mistress drown. He grabbed her by her bathing suit and swam towards the shore with her. "Why, Mrs. Davenport, we didn't think you'd be frightened. It's only play," called Harvey. How proud the delighted dog was. He thought he had really saved Beth's life. He did not know that she was just pretending for the fun of having him come to her. Day after day, the children struggled to learn to swim, but with rather poor success. At last, they thought of trying light logs to keep them up. This proved quite successful. They placed the log across their chests, and under their armpits, and then made their hands and feet go. This was quite like swimming. After a time they tried it even in the deep water inside the boat house. One day Beth ran down ahead of the others. Don, for a wonder, was not with her that morning. She thought she would have some fun all by herself. Her log was in the boat house. She fearlessly jumped into deep water with it, but somehow, she got beyond the range of the walk. In trying to paddle back to it, her log slipped away from her. Then she grew very much frightened. It was a case of swim or sink. Terrified as she was, she had presence of mind to keep her hands and feet going. To her surprise, she did not sink. She had only a little ways to go and made it without very much effort. When the other children came, she was all excitement. "Just see. I can swim, I can swim." Beth hastened to show off her wonderful accomplishment. She was disgusted when Harvey laughed at her. "Why, Beth, you swim in regular dog fashion. You claw the water just like Don. You ought to go like this." She tried striking out with her arms as he bid, but could not swim that way. Whereupon, she declared: "I like swimming dog fashion best." One evening Mr. Davenport came home and said: "Mary, how would you like to go down to the seashore for a week?" "And take us?" exclaimed Beth. Mr. Davenport was in a teasing mood. "I will take Marian because she has been good, but as to you, I must find out first from mamma if any bad girl has been around here lately. We can't take bad girls with us." Beth held her breath for her mother's answer. "Well, James, for a wonder we have had an unusually good girl here for the past week. If we go, she may go too." Beth danced a jig in the intensity of her joy.