“I’ve no doubt of that, but the young are likely to over-estimate their powers.  I’m a good swimmer, and you can’t escape me.”

“The important point is not whether I can escape you, but whether you can escape me.  Since you have lost your boat and your rifle and we’re in such a treacherous and unstable element as water, I occupy the superior position.  The young may indeed over-estimate their powers, but in swimming at least I’m a competent critic.  For instance, you’re holding your shoulders too high, and you kick too much.  You’re splashing water, a useless waste of energy.  Now observe me.  The surface of this river is rough.  Little waves are yet running upon it, but I float as easily as a fish, come up to see by the moon what time it is.  It is not egotism on my part, merely a recognition of the facts, but I warn you, Mr. Shepard, to swim to the other shore and let me alone.”

The two were not ten feet apart, and, despite the lightness of their talk, their eyes burned with eagerness and intensity.  Harry knew that Shepard would not dream of turning back.  Yet in the water he awaited the result with a confidence that he would not have felt on land.

“It’s your move, Mr. Shepard,” he said.

The intensity of Shepard’s gaze increased, and Harry never took his eyes from those of his enemy.  He intended like a prize fighter to read there what the man’s next effort would be.

“I don’t see that it’s my move,” said Shepard, as he floated calmly.

“You’re following me for the purpose of capturing me.”

“To capture you, or delay you.  Meanwhile, it seems to me that I’m delaying you very successfully.  I can’t see that you’re making much progress towards Lee.”

“That depends upon which way this river is flowing.  You note that we float gently with the stream.”

“It’s a poor argument.  The Potomac flows directly by Washington, and if we were to float on we’d float into the heart of great Northern fortresses instead of Lee’s camp.”

“That’s true as far as it goes, but it doesn’t go far enough.  I’m leaving the river soon.  You can have it all then.”

“Thanks, but I think I’ll go with you, Lieutenant Kenton.”

“Then come to the bottom!” exclaimed Harry, as he dived forward like a flash, seized Shepard by the ankles and headed for the bottom of the river with him.  The water gurgled in his eyes and ears and nose, but he held on for many seconds, despite the man’s desperate struggles.  Then he was forced to let go and rise.

As his head shot above the stream he saw another shooting up in the same manner about fifteen feet away.  Both were choked and gasping, but Harry managed to say: 

“I didn’t intend for you to come up so soon.”

“I suppose not, but perhaps you didn’t pause to think that when you rose I’d rise with you.”

“Yes, that’s true.  It seems to me that matters grow complicated.  Can’t you persuade yourself, Mr. Shepard, to go and leave me alone?  I really have no use for you here.”