had
untied itself, as he hoped it would. Holding on to the sheet line with
one hand, he rapidly passed the rope once under and through. Ross had
not learned his knots from the Mississippi sailors for nothing, and as
the boat came to the end of its tether and jerked on the line, the boy
had the satisfaction of seeing the knot tighten. With the strain off, it
was easy to take another half-hitch around the line, and the knot was
secure beyond peradventure. He climbed aboard, raised a cheery cry to
Anton, and commenced to pull the boat hand over hand along the line of
sheets. It was only a moment before the little craft was bobbing on the
flood, immediately beneath the window.

"Let's have the puppies first," cried Ross.

Anton's head disappeared from the window, and reappeared in a moment.

"Catch!" he cried and held out the basket.

Ross balanced himself as best he could and caught the falling basket. It
was not more than a five feet drop and the basket landed squarely in
his arms. He placed it in the boat. Loud barking overhead announced that
Lassie was displeased and worried over the sudden departure of her
offspring.

"How am I going to get Lassie out?" queried Anton. "I'd never thought of
that. She'll strangle if I let her down by the collar."

"That's easy," Ross called back. "Tie a bit of string to her collar,
chuck me the end of the string, and then throw her into the water. It
won't hurt her, and I can easily haul her aboard."

"All right, then," the other answered, "get the boat out of the way."

"Chuck me down the end of the string first," warned Ross, and, as he
spoke, a ball of stout twine fell in the boat. "Out with her now," he
continued, slackening away on the line, so that the boat was no longer
directly out of the window.

There was a moment's pause and then the big dog appeared in the opening,
struggling in Anton's strong, if clumsy, grasp. She clawed at the
window-sill, not understanding what was happening, but Anton gave her a
push, and half turning as she fell, Lassie struck the water all of a
heap. The instant she was afloat, however, her natural swimming
instincts asserted themselves and she started for the shore.

"Here, Lassie!" called Ross, with a whistle, and pulled gently on the
string that was fastened to her collar. The dog felt the pull and turned
around, swimming directly for the boat. Ross stooped down and lifted her
in. The mother immediately smelt the puppies and scrambled al