"Suddenly someone called to me from the bank. It was Charlie. He was not very well dressed; he had his towel over his arm; he was going for his morning bathe. But I don't think I ever had loved him so much as when I heard his voice and saw him standing there--no, not even in that glad moment when first he told me that he loved me and asked me to be his wife. "'Oh, Charlie!' I cried. 'I'm drowning!' "'That's all right!' It sounded unfeeling, but I knew what he meant. 'I'll swim out to you.' "He leaped head foremost into the river as if it had been nothing at all, and swam out to me as if he had been a dog. He swam first of all to the oar, and then he swam to the boat. "'Sit still!' he said. "But it was not the slightest use my sitting still when he himself nearly pulled the boat right over. Almost before I knew it he was sitting on the seat in front of me, sopping wet and laughing. "'What's the meaning of this?' he asked. "'I'm learning to row.' "'You looked as if you were learning to row! Well, have you learnt?' "'Charlie, you're not to laugh at me! It isn't right. Some girls have people to teach them rowing--people who care for them, that is. But I haven't, so of course I have to teach myself. And I have to get up in the small hours of the morning to do it too.' I sighed--or I chose to let him think I did--'I might have been drowned.' "'That's true--you might.' He looked at me hard, and I believe there was a twinkle in his eyes. But as I looked right past him, far across the water, and he saw that I was serious, I think that it went no further. 'Look here, Miss Whitby----' "'You're not to call me Miss Whitby, Charlie!' "'Very well, I won't. Look here, young person----' "'And you're not to call me young person either. I'm not a young person.' "'Then look here, old chap----' "'Charlie Mason, if you call me old chap I'll get out of the boat this instant!' "'That's right. Do.' He pretended to wait for me to get out. I was not so absurd. He went on: 'I don't know if you're aware that it's easier to learn rowing with one scull than with two?' "'How was I to know that? No one ever told me. Nobody takes sufficient interest in me to tell me anything.' "'If you had betrayed the slightest sign of desiring the information I would have taken sufficient interest in you to tell you that. I came out here to have a dip. I have had half of it. During the interval, before I have the other half, I shall have pleasure in imparting to you that instruction for which your soul professes to yearn.' I had said nothing about my soul, or about yearning either; I am not so profane. He pointed to the seat behind me. 'Get on to that seat and sit in the middle.' "'You must take the boat to shore first. You know how strongly I object to changing places while the boat is in the middle of the river; it does make it wobble so.' "'Is the teacher to obey or to be obeyed? Execute my commands!'