o the bank, and, getting into the boat which was moored
there ready for anyone who might want it, rowed across to the other
side, where the dog awaited her in a perfect ecstasy of welcome.

She had no hat on, the sleeves of her cotton blouse were rolled up
over her elbow, and she wore still the big rough apron she had
donned for scrubbing. It struck her, as she crossed the river,
that the wind was very cold, and that the day was grey and
cheerless, now the clouds had hidden the sun.

Hero jumped into the boat, and, crouching at Katherine's feet,
fawned upon her with great affection and delight.

"Oh, yes, you are very glad to see me, I have no doubt, but really
you are a fearful fraud to bring me away from my work on a busy day
like this, by pretending you cannot swim, when it is plain you have
been in the water, for you are dripping with wet!" Katherine said,
seeing the water which ran from the dog's thick coat as it sat in
the boat thumping a grateful tail in thanksgiving. Then she
noticed that the dog had something tied round its neck which looked
like a silk waist-belt, and that a handkerchief was knotted to the
belt.

"Something is wrong!" she muttered to herself; then, reaching the
other side, she moored her boat and proceeded to investigate the
message wrapped About the dog's neck.

A scrap of paper with writing upon it was crumpled up in the
handkerchief, and spreading this out she read:

"Please come and help me, for I have had a tumble
down a steep rock and twisted my foot. I can't walk,
and I am on a ledge deep down a gulch near the sea,
on the rocks beyond the fish-flakes.
MARY SELINCOURT."

"Deep down in a gulch near the sea," quoth Katherine to herself
with a puzzled frown; then she jumped up with a cry. "I know where
it is; that gulch is one of the tideholes, and she will be drowned
if I don't make haste!"

Out of the boat she bounded, and rushed up the slope to the store.
Springing over the confusion of canisters and boxes, she hurried
into the house, where Mrs. Burton was sitting at work making new
frocks for the twins.

"Nellie, will you look after the store for an hour? I should lock
the door if I were you, and refuse to serve anyone who comes, for
it is confusion thrice confounded in there, and I don't think you
would be able to find things if you tried."

"What is the matter, dear?" asked Mrs. Burton, looking up and
seeing how frightened h