foolish
jest. A feeling of dismay seized her, when she saw a resolute face
dividing the waves behind her, and thought of the rash challenge she
had given; but she had a spirit of her own, and had profited well by
Mr. Joe's instructions: so she drew a long breath, and swam as if for
life, instead of love. Evan was incumbered by his clothing, and Debby
had much the start of him; but, like a second Leander, he hoped to win
his Hero, and, lending every muscle to the work, gained rapidly upon
the little hat which was his beacon through the foam. Debby heard the
deep breathing drawing nearer and nearer, as her pursuer's strong arms
cleft the water and sent it rippling past her lips, something like
terror took possession of her; for the strength seemed going out of her
limbs, and the rock appeared to recede before her; but the
unconquerable blood of the Pilgrims was in her veins, and "Nil
desperandum" her motto; so, setting her teeth, she muttered,
defiantly,--

"I'll not be beaten, if I go to the bottom!"

A great splashing arose, and when Evan recovered the use of his eyes,
the pagoda-hat had taken a sudden turn, and seemed making for the
farthest point of the goal. "I am sure of her now," thought Frank; and,
like a gallant seagod, he bore down upon his prize, clutching it with a
shout of triumph. But the hat was empty, and like a mocking echo came
Debby's laugh, as she climbed, exhausted, to a cranny in the rock.

"A very neat thing, by Jove! Deuse take me if you a'n't 'an honor to
your teacher, and a terror to the foe,' Miss Wilder," cried Mr. Joe, as
he came up from a solitary cruise and dropped anchor at her side.
"Here, bring along the hat, Evan; I'm going to crown the victor with
appropriate what-d'ye-call-'ems," he continued, pulling a handful of
sea-weed that looked like well-boiled greens.

Frank came up, smiling; but his lips were white, and in his eye a look
Debby could not meet; so, being full of remorse, she naturally assumed
an air of gayety, and began to sing the merriest air she knew, merely
because she longed to throw herself upon the stones and cry violently.

"It was 'most as exciting as a regatta, and you pulled well, Evan; but
you had too much ballast aboard, and Miss Wilder ran up false colors
just in time to save her ship. What was the wager?" asked the lively
Joseph, complacently surveying his marine millinery, which would have
scandalized a fashionable mermaid.

"Only a trifle," answered