a boat and wanted to get in again
without tipping the boat over, to do so from the stern, or from the bow,
which is the front. A row-boat will not tip backwards or forwards as
easily as it will to either side.

As soon as Bunny heard what Uncle Tad said, he obeyed. He sat down in
the bottom of the boat between the seats. Then the old soldier, going to
the stern, called to Dix:

"Around this way, old dog! Bring her here and I'll take her in. Come on,
Dix!"

Whether the dog knew that it was safer to bring a person in over the
stern of a boat or over the bow instead of over the side, I do not know.
At any rate he did what Uncle Tad told him to do, and in another moment
was close to the boat with Sue in his jaws. Uncle Tad lifted her into
the boat and at once turned her on her face and raised her legs in the
air. This was to let any water that she might have swallowed run out.

Sue began to kick her legs. She gasped and wiggled.

"Keep still!" cried Bunny. "Uncle Tad is giving you first aid." Bunny
had often seen the lifeguards at the beach do this to swimmers who went
too far out.

"I--I won't keep still, Bunny Brown!" gasped Sue. "And I--I don't need
any first aid! I just helded my breath under water, I did, and I didn't
swallow much anyhow. I was holding my breath when Uncle Tad began to
raise up my legs, that's why I wiggled and couldn't speak. I'm all right
now and I'm much obliged to you and Dix, Uncle Tad, and I hope my Sallie
Malinda isn't in the lake."

Sue said this all at one time and then she had to stop for breath. But
what she said was true. Her father had given her swimming lessons, and
Sue was really a good little diver, and perfectly at home where the
water was not too rough or deep. And, as she had said, as soon as she
felt herself in the water she had taken a long breath and held it before
her nose and mouth went under.

So while Sue was holding her breath, Dix had reached down and caught
her, before she had really sunk to the bottom. For Sue had on a light
and fluffy dress, and that really was a sort of life preserver. As it
was, the dog had brought Sue to the boat before she had swallowed more
than a few spoonfuls of water, which did her no harm. Of course she was
all wet.

"You've gone in swimming, anyhow," said Bunny, as soon as he saw that
his sister was all right.

"Yes, and we must get her to shore as soon as we can," said Uncle Tad.
"Climb in, Dix, and don't scatter any more water on