ment the plunge was made, and the figure lost to
sight.

Aggie threw her arms round her grandfather, and hid her face.

"I can't look, I can't look," she cried. "Tell me about it."

"There, he is up; bravo!" the squire exclaimed, almost as excited as
she was. "He has dived again, dear,"--then, after a pause--"there he is
close to him. He has got him, Aggie! Now he is waving his hand; now
they are tightening the rope; now he is waving his hand again, and they
are waiting. There!"

There was a pause, which seemed to the girl to be endless, then the
squire cried:

"They have got them out, both of them;" and a loud cheer broke from all
standing round.

"Come along, grandpapa, let us go down to them."

"Stay a moment, my dear. They may be hurt. It's better you should not
go."

The girl stood, with her hands clasped, gazing at the fishermen grouped
on the shore, stooping over the prostrate figures. Then one of them
stood up and waved his hand, and the spectators knew that all was well.
Then the girl ran down to join them.

"Why, Aggie!" James exclaimed in astonishment, as she pressed forward.
"Why, my dear, what brings you here in this storm? Whatever will the
squire say?"

"The squire has brought her down himself," Mr. Linthorne said,
following closely behind his granddaughter; "and he is glad he did,
James, for she has seen a grand sight.

"You are a fine fellow;" and he wrung the lad's hand.

"A grand fellow, Wilks, isn't he?"

"I always said so, squire," the old soldier said, his face beaming with
satisfaction; "but now, let us get him home, and Aggie, too. The child
will be blown away."

But, for a minute or two, they could not carry James off, so closely
did the men and women press round him, and shake him by the hand. At
last they got him away, and, escorted by a crowd of cheering boys, led
him back to his mother's.

"Your son is a hero, Mrs. Walsham!" the squire exclaimed as they
entered; "but don't talk to him now, but mix him a glass of hot grog.

"Wilks, you get him between the blankets directly. I will tell his
mother all about it, while she is mixing the grog.

"Hallo, Aggie! Why, bless the child, she's fainted."

The girl had borne up till they reached the house, towards which the
wind had blown her along, as she clung to her grandfather's arm; but
the excitement had been too much for her, and, the instant they entered
the room, she had dropped into an armchair, and at once lost
consciou