Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/21

Rh only had not learned to swim, but she was almost afraid to dip her head.

“Why, you are a perfect fish, Brenda, or a mermaid,” she cried, as he cousin swam past her, though considerably farther out at sea. “Are n’t you afraid?”

“Of course not.” Brenda flung a handful of water at Julia as she waded past. “Just try it yourself, and you ’ll see how easy it is.”

“Oh, I should n’t dare to,” said Julia.

“Well, you ought to dip your head and shoulders, and come out as far as you can. I can see that you ’re shivering a little, but you won’t after you have once been in all over.”

So Julia at last made the plunge, and, dipping head and shoulders, really did feel more comfortable than  when she had stood a few minutes before shivering in  the sun. But she could not persuade herself to lie flat on her back, letting Brenda support her with one hand  held under her chin. She felt a curious faintness when she even thought of doing this, and although Brenda  assured her that she would not let her sink, that, even  if she should let go, Julia could immediately put her feet to the bottom, the older girl showed a timidity surprising  to Brenda, the younger. But they jested, and threw water at one another, until Mrs. Barlow called from the  shore, telling them that they had already been in too long. Then Brenda, with a plea for one more swim, splashed about for a few minutes longer, while Julia sat down  on the sand to wait for her in the sun.