isapproval since there had been no order to this effect, that the
five youngsters had divested themselves of their outer garbings and were
disporting themselves in the lake--some wading near shore, some diving
headlong from a fallen log that protruded from the bank. A superficial
scrutiny of their movements showed me that, though all were capable of
sustaining themselves in the unstable element, scarce one of them made
any pretence of following out the evolutions as laid down for guidance
in the work entitled "Swimming in Twenty Easy Lessons."

Without loss of time I repaired to the shelter of a near-by thicket,
where I removed my costume and folded it neatly, as is my wont, and
swiftly attired myself in a new bathing suit. In another moment I had
mounted the fallen log and was advancing toward the spot where they
were splashing about.

"Hold, young gentlemen--hold!" I called out, at the same time halting
them with a wave of my hand. "Kindly desist and give to me your
undivided attention. The method employed by you in keeping your persons
afloat is, as I note, faulty in the extreme. By actual demonstration I
shall now instruct you in the rudiments of this graceful art."

With these words, I advanced another step and yet another. At this
instant my foot slipped on the rounded surface of the recumbent tree,
and before I could extend my limbs forth and arrange them in the proper
attitude for making the first stroke, in fact before I had an
opportunity for taking any precautionary measures whatsoever, I was
propelled outward and downward upon the bosom of the lake, striking with
considerable violence on my lower diaphragm.

To my astonishment, I might even say to my most complete astonishment, I
went under practically instantaneously. This immediately induced a
sense of uneasiness, which increased to actual apprehension when I found
it impossible to straighten myself on the water in the posture
illustrated in Diagram A in the first lesson.

Instinctively I felt all was not well with me!

With a view, therefore, to securing temporary assistance until I could
collect myself and regain my customary calmness, I opened my mouth to
utter certain words; but, instead of speech issuing forth, a
considerable volume of water poured down my throat, producing a muffled,
gurgling sound. From this point on my apprehension grew perceptibly
until I grasped the helping hands that were extended to me and, after a
few struggles, was, by