“What a stroke he has!” Maida commented admiringly. “I’d give anything if I could cut through the water like that. Why--why who’s that?” Two heads appeared bobbing on the water at the other side of the lake. No one of the children had seen anybody emerge from the woods. The strangers must have come around the curve. The heads came forward straight towards the middle of the lake. Arthur had reached his goal; was floating placidly, his arms folded at the back of his neck. Involuntarily, the other children stood silent and watched. Nearer the two heads came to Arthur--nearer and nearer. One of them had thick tossed black hair; the other lighter hair, satiny as the inside of a nut where the sun caught it on the top of the head; wet and dark as strings of seaweed in the neck. “It’s Silva and Tyma Burle,” Rosie exclaimed suddenly. “Oh how they can swim!” The two young gypsies had drawn near enough to Arthur for the children to measure their progress. “I never saw a girl swim like that,” Laura said with a touch of envy. “She swims just like a boy.” Arthur, his ears sunk below the level of the water, had apparently heard nothing. But now suddenly he threw himself on his side and paddling just enough to keep afloat, watched the approaching pair in amazement. On the Burles came, their eyes fixed on Arthur, their expressions quite non-committal. Arthur waited. Suddenly a terrible thing happened! Silva threw up her hands and screamed. Tyma, a little in advance, turned and swam to her rescue, but once he had reached his sister’s side she caught him about the neck. It was all over in a second. The two sank together. The children on the jetty shrieked. Maida burst into tears. Harold started out at once for the fatal spot. Rosie made as though to follow him. “Don’t Rosie,” Laura said with sudden coolness. “You’ll only be in the way.” In the meantime, Arthur swam instantly for the spot where brother and sister had disappeared. He dived at once; staying under the water for what, to the frightened group on shore, seemed an incredible time. But he came up; filled his lungs with air; dived again. For the third time he appeared on the surface. For the third time he dived. Suddenly many rods away on the top of the water appeared two heads--Silva’s and Tyma’s. Simultaneously Arthur came up gasping for air. The Burles managed to wave a hand; broke into high jeering laughter; then swam rapidly towards the other shore. By this time, Harold had reached Arthur’s side. Together they started after the practical jokers but both the boys were spent with their first long swim of the year. After a while, they turned and rejoined their friends on the shore.