Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/373

Rh on faster. She never knew how she managed to do it, for usually the fact that she had reached deep water had an  almost paralyzing effect, impelling her to turn around  toward the shore. But now, regardless of deep water, regardless of the jolly fish that she passed on every side,  she pushed on. So strong did she feel, so sure of herself, that she would have flung the board aside, to press on  toward Brenda; yes, to swim to her, although up to this  time she had never tried a quarter so long a course. After what seemed to her a very long interval, she came within  speaking distance of Brenda.

“Frances has hurt herself,” cried the latter, “a stone, or something—oh, hurry, Julia, I cannot hold her much  longer!”

Julia now, on looking more closely, saw that Brenda was keeping Frances’s head above water, and then—

“Oh, Julia, I am so thankful to have you here! I do not think that I could have kept up a minute longer.”

Poor Brenda gave a gasp of relief as Julia pushed the board in front of her. The strain had evidently been very severe. Julia for the moment was puzzled. She did not see wherein her coming had improved the situation. At this moment Frances opened her eyes.

“Oh, my foot!” she cried in pain.

“There, Frances,” said Brenda, encouragingly, “now we shall be all right. Just put your hands on the edge of the board, and I will keep hold of the back of your blouse. I can swim well enough with one arm, and we will aim for the small rocks.”