"I did. I let him do it on purpose. He didn't see me. He wanted to get the water-lilies for me, and he thought he would manage--oh, so fine! and I watched behind a shrub." "Oh, Harriet!" "Well, my dear; you needn't go on like that. The bough dipped lower and lower, and Ralph, he is not a bit frightened--you know he never was, he is as plucky as his father. I did feel inclined to say, `oh, do go back, Ralph--'" "And you didn't say the words, Harriet?" "No, no; you goose, I didn't; well, anyhow, he tumbled into the water where it was pretty deep too; and he would have sunk, poor little man, for there are such a lot of weeds about just there--only of course I was close by, and I rushed down to the edge of the pond and flung myself in, and swam out to him. I saved him--oh, it was quite easy; he was not even unconscious when I got him out of the water; only of course we were both drenched to the skin." "I don't understand," said Jane. "It seemed a horrid mean thing to do, and you speak as though it was something fine." "Ralph thinks it awfully fine. You see, he takes it in this way. He thinks he tried to get the lilies for me at the risk of his life." "That's true enough," said Jane. "And that I saved him at the risk of mine." "Which is not a bit true," said Jane, "for you can swim like a duck anywhere." "Ah, but Ralph does not know that, and there is no one who will dare to tell him. We both got ill afterwards, and I was more ill than Ralph, because I was longer in my dripping wet clothes; and now Ralph loves me much, much better than Robina, for you see I saved his life." "Oh! I think you are a horrid girl!" said Jane. "Do you? do you? Well, perhaps you won't think me quite so horrid when I get you invited here, say, for Christmas, and when we have a jolly, jolly time, with that old Mr Durrant safe in Africa and Ralph just obliged to put up with us. I'll always be good to him, you may be sure of that, but I shan't molly-coddle him: I'll look after number one, see if I don't." "All the same," said Jane, "Robina is the one who will be invited to take care of Ralph, and you haven't a chance." "I know better," said Harriet. "I have my own plans. You will have to help me, for if you don't, I won't give you that five pounds that my god-mother allows me on each of my birthdays." "Five pounds!" said Jane, with a gasp. "Yes; if I am allowed to stay as Ralph's companion, I will give you that money this year. Think what that will mean." Jane was absolutely silent. The girls went away from under the shadow of the thick plantation, and walked like any other innocent little pair in the sunshine. Robina, after a long time, crept out of her hammock and went to the house. She had a dreadful feeling at her heart. She must be alone. She reached her bedroom and locked herself in. Book 2--CHAPTER TEN. HARRIET PLEADS.