He flung off his coat, tore off his low shoes, and waited.  The river-bottom shelved suddenly just where the pier ended, and the depth was fully twenty feet.  Moment after moment went by while he watched breathlessly for the appearance of the girl at the surface.  The current was strong a few feet out, and his gaze swept the water for some distance.  When he caught sight of the break in the surface which told him what he wanted, it was even farther down-stream than he had calculated.

“I mustn’t risk this alone,” he thought, quickly, and gave several ringing shouts for Just, whom he knew to be only two or three hundred yards up-shore.  Then he made his plunge, swimming furiously to get below the place where the girl’s white-clad form had risen, that he might be at hand when his chance came again.

The current helped him, and so did the moonlight on the water.  It was in the very centre of a glinting spot of light that Lucy came to the surface the second time.  Before she had sunk out of sight Jeff had her by the skirts, and was working desperately to get her head above water.  She was struggling with all her fierce young strength, crazed with fright and suffocation, and she continually dragged him under in her blind attempts to pull herself up by him.

When he could get breath he shouted again, and after what seemed to him an age, there came a response from two directions.  Just running along the river bank, and Doctor Churchill, plunging down the hill, saw, and were coming to the rescue.

“Hold on!  Hold on!  I’m coming!” both shouted as they ran.

Doctor Churchill, having the easier course, reached the bank first.  Being clad only in his pajamas, he was unburdened by superfluous clothing.  With a long leap he was in the water, and with a half-dozen vigorous strokes he had reached Jeff’s elbow.

“Let go!  I’ve got her!” he cried, and Jeff, spluttering and breathing hard, attempted to let go.

But Lucy still fought so desperately that it was no easy matter to get her clutch away from Jeff’s clothing.  By this time, however, Just was also in the water, and the three soon had the girl under control.

“Keep quiet!  You’re all right!  Let us take you in!” called Doctor Churchill to the struggling, strangling little figure.  So in a minute more they had her on the bank.

“Why, it’s Lucy!” Doctor Churchill cried in astonishment, as he dropped upon his knees beside her and fell to work.

“Yes, it’s Lucy!” panted Jeff.

But there was no chance just then for explanations.  For the next ten minutes he and Just were kept busy obeying peremptory orders.  As under Andy’s directions they silently and anxiously worked over the young form upon the grass, they were feeling intensely grateful that the necessary skill had been so close at hand.  But until the doctor’s satisfied “She’s coming out all right!” gave them leave, neither dared draw a good breath for himself.