Now he was in the river, and swimming with all his power toward that splashing form which, because of the glimpses he had of the bright color, he knew must be the imperiled girl. Her dress seemed to be helping her to keep afloat, though this would only last for a minute or so, when it must become soaked, and serve to drag her down. The water was very deep at this point. Moreover, the current had a full swing, and swept along rapidly. On the other hand, fortunately, Minnie was only a comparatively few yards away from the shore, so that the boy did not have to cover any great distance before reaching her. As he swam Frank was shouting hoarsely, his strained eyes fastened upon the object of his intense solicitude. “Keep it up, Minnie! Fight hard! I’m coming to you! It’s all right!” was the burden of his encouraging cries. Then he reached her, and began to tow her toward the bank. The girl was almost hysterical with fright, so that Frank was put to it to avoid having her arms wrapped about his neck. Dragging her thus, and all the time trying to soothe her by encouraging words, he gained foot after foot. “Here! this way, Frank!” Ralph had waded into the water until it was up to his waist. He also held out a stout stick he had snatched from the ground. And when the fingers of the swimmer closed upon the knob at the end of this friendly club he knew it was over. In another minute he had emerged from the water, still holding fast to the form of Minnie. But the girl did not faint. Far from it; she was now filled with indignation toward the wretched Lef, who had been drawn out of the river by the horse, and was even then dripping on the low shore. The subdued animal made no effort to continue his mad flight; the cold water had taken all this desire out of him, and he looked about as dejected as his master. Frank was immediately engaged trying to wring some of the water out of the girl’s skirt, and at the same time seeking to cheer her up, for she was now sobbing hysterically after her recent double fright. Lef, finding that his horse would stand, now pushed toward the group. His teeth still chattered, more from recent fear than anything else. At the same time he was full of anger toward Frank, who had as usual been on the spot to win the laurels while the husks came his way. “What did you do that for? The whole thing’s your fault, Frank Allen! Minnie can blame you for her ducking; and you might have cost one of us a life. I believe you did it just to have a chance to play the hero part you’re so fond of!” So Lef sputtered as he shook his hand in front of Frank’s face. The stooping boy looked up. There was a smouldering fire in his own eyes, for he believed that only for the cowardly nature of Lef and his inability to manage the horse this thing need not have occurred. “Look there, _you_!” he said, sternly, pointing down the road.