must be dead; but my uncle, who's a
doctor, was with us, and he immediately began the treatment for the
drowned, just like Miss Latimer teaches us in the swimming lessons. I
helped to work her arms up and down and to rub her, and at last she
opened her eyes. We were so relieved. She called at our lodgings
afterwards to thank us, and said she had gone for a little afternoon dip
alone; and she supposed the water must have been colder than usual,
because all at once she felt a terrible pain in her leg, and could not
move. She said it was the most awful sensation to feel she was sinking,
and not to be able to save herself."
"It was lucky for her that your father was close by to rescue her!"
"Yes, and Uncle Arthur too, to bring her round afterwards. I don't think
it's very safe for girls to go swimming alone."
No mermaids could have had a pleasanter time idling about in the pool
than Patty and her friends. They tried various performances in fancy
swimming, which, however, were quite unsuccessful, though they all
assisted to hold each other up during the experiments. They were in the
midst of a frantic effort to dance the Lancers in two feet of water,
when Miss Latimer called to them to come at once; and as the limited
accommodation of the bathing tent necessitated that the girls must make
their toilets in relays, they were obliged reluctantly to tear
themselves away, and in due course join the others, who were sitting on
the sand letting their loose hair dry in the sun and wind. Everybody was
very ready to open the luncheon baskets at half-past twelve. The sea air
had given fine appetites, and the provisions vanished steadily. Each
class had brought its own special hamper, and there was a great deal of
laughter when those of the Third and Fifth Classes got changed by
mistake, the thirteen indignant members of the former only receiving the
amount which had been intended for ten. The upper and lower divisions of
the Fourth feasted separately, the one under the auspices of Miss
Harper, and the other with Miss Rowe, as it would have been impossible
to pack lunch for twenty-two girls in one hamper, unless, as Enid
suggested, they had used a clothes basket for the purpose. After lunch,
Miss Lincoln insisted that everybody should take half an hour's quiet
rest lying on the beach.
"Many of you were awake at daylight," she said, "and you have been
racing about and exciting yourselves since before breakfast-time. I am
afraid y
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