“Whew! it isn’t so warm as I thought!” ejaculated Shep.  “No Turkish bath about this!” And he gave a slight shiver.

“You’ll soon get used to it,” replied Snap.  “It’s always the first plunge that takes the breath out of a fellow.”

Giant came in next, diving from the rock.  Whopper followed more slowly, putting in first one foot and then the other.

“Moses in the bulrushes!” he gasped.  “Say, this water is about half ice, isn’t it?” And he drew back again.

“Whopper, you know better than to go in that way,” remonstrated Snap.  “Wet your face and then go in head first—–­it’s the only right way.  If you go in by inches you’ll gasp fit to turn your liver over.”

Very gingerly Whopper wet his face.  As the water ran down his backbone he let out another yell.

“Don’t know as I’ll go in,” he observed.  “I thought it would be much warmer.”

“Oh, yes, come in,” urged Snap.

In the meantime Shep had come to shore and crawled out, behind some bushes.  Softly he crept up behind Whopper.  Then came a sudden shove, and over went Frank with a loud yell and a splash that sent the spray in all directions.  Before he came up Shep was out of sight behind a tree.

“Say, wh—–­who—–­” spluttered Whopper, as he came up and gazed around half angrily.  Then he caught sight of a shoulder back of the tree.  “Come out of that, and let me give you something to remember me by!” And he struck out for shore.

But Shep had no intention of being caught, and as Whopper came out he sprang in.  Then Frank came after him, and a race ensued, in which Snap and Giant joined.  The rapid swimming warmed all the boys, and then they declared the water “just O.K.,” as Snap expressed it.  Whopper watched his chance to get even with Shep, and when the other was not looking, dove down and caught the doctor’s son by the foot.  Shep was just shouting to Giant and had his mouth wide open, and as a consequence swallowed a lot of water.  When he and Whopper came up they indulged in a splashing contest lasting several minutes.

“What’s the matter with swimming across the river?” suggested Snap, presently.

“It’s a pretty good distance,” answered Giant.  “And you must remember the current is rather swift.”

“I’ll go, Snap,” said Shep, who was always ready to follow his “twin.”

“I don’t think I’ll try it to-day,” put in Whopper.  “I’ll stay on this side with Giant.  If you find anything good to eat over there bring it along,” he added.

“Might find some berries,” said Snap.

At this point the river, from the outer edge of the cove, was about a hundred yards wide.  The boys had frequently swum across, so Snap’s proposal to go over was nothing unusual.  Side by side the boys started out and took their time.  They did not attempt to stem the current but allowed it to carry them down the river for several hundred feet.  They landed where there was an old orchard, backed up by a large strawberry patch.