Master _Hewet_ was anxious, one Forenoon, to communicate by Letter with an Agent on the Point of embarquing for _Callice_. I had a Race against Time to the Quay, sped my Errand, and returned beneath a broiling Noon-day Sun. When I got back, I was overheated and very thirsty, and thought I would step into the Kitchen for a Drink of cold Water. I had pulled off my warm blue Gown to cool myself, and went into the Kitchen with it hanging on my Arm. Leaning forth of the Lattice, according unto her Wont, was _Tib_, a parleying with the next Door Servant; and with her left Arm cast about the Waist of Mistress _Anne_, who sate on the Window-sill with her Back to the River. On seeing me come in, the little Maiden clapped her Hands, which startling _Tib_, who supposed herself caught by Mistress _Fraunces_, she maketh no more Ado, but turns short round in a Flurry, giving a Lurch with her left Arm that cast the pretty Innocent headlong into the River. I remember _Tib_ squealed; but without a second Thought, I dropped my Gown that so luckily was off, and took a Leap that was clean sixty Feet into the River, without so much as a Thought what I should do when I got there. I remember the Blow the Water gave my Head, and what a Way I went down, and how I bobbed up again, as Providence would have it, with the dear little Fondling within Arm's-length of me, drifting towards the Fall beyond the Arch. I clutched at her by the pretty Waist, just as the Eddy was going to suck her in, and, striking out once or twice with the other Arm, though the Rapids were bearing me down horribly, found myself the next Minute a clinging on to the Sterling, without Power to climb up it, so spent was I, and feeling as if I must lose Hold of little _Anne_ after all! I wot not how much of the Noise I then seemed to hear was the Water singing in mine Ears, and the Uproar of the Falls; howbeit, there were People hallooing above and around, and my Master's Voice a-top of all, from the Parlour Window, overhead, crying, "Hold on, _Ned_, for thy Life! we'll save you, my brave Boy! Cling to him, _Anne_, if he can't cling to thee!" [Illustration: "And took a leap"]