d is to save lives!'"_]

The dog caught the squirming rope between his teeth, and as he did so,
he heard distinctly the cheers of those on the stranded ship echoed by
those on the shore before he was pulled down beneath the waves again;
but he clung to the rope. When he reached the surface, Jan saw his
master leaning far over the edge of the deck, pointing toward the land.

Then he understood, and without a moment's hesitation he flung his body
away from the direction of the boat and faced the shore, while the rope
trailed behind him, often dragging him back with terrific jerks. The
force of the waves tossed him high on dizzy crests, then he was dropped
swiftly into depths of seething water. His breath came in painful gasps
between his tightly clinched teeth, the water rang in his ears and he
was half-blinded by the stinging salt spray that cut like a sharp knife
across his eyes.

In spite of his struggles he seemed no nearer the land. Back of him he
could see the swaying masts of the boat, and at times the whole length
of the deck with people crowded together. Jan, dazed and almost
exhausted, turned to swim back to his master and safety. His paws beat
the waves more feebly, but his teeth still held the rope. Down, down,
down he sank, and over his head rolled the white-crested mountains of
water. Then the roaring in his ears turned to the voices of the Hospice
dogs. The voices of Barry Bruno, Rex and Jan's mother sounded clearly.
Other dogs joined in the chorus until Jan knew that he heard the voices
of all the dogs that had ever lived in the Hospice. Hundreds and
hundreds of deep notes, like the bells of the Hospice sending a message
to him. "The duty of a St. Bernard is to save lives!"

He fought with new strength, and as his head rose above the waves, the
rope still dragging along, he heard cheers that grew nearer and louder,
but this time the voices came from the land. A breaker curled high,
dashed furiously over him and then it carried him with a rush to the
beach and flung him, gasping and exhausted, high on the sand, but the
end of the rope was clutched tightly between his teeth. He held it, even
when men tried to take it from him, but the hands were kindly and as his
jaws relaxed he was lifted gently and carried where the cruel waves
could not touch him again.

Jan was too tired to open his eyes when some one knelt beside him and
stroked his wet hair, and a man's voice said huskily, "You wonderful,
brave fe