“I wish we had a boat,” said Miss Elting.  “We could gather up our stuff.  We can’t afford to lose it.”

“We don’t need a boat.  Jane and I will get it out.  What do you say, Jane?” answered Harriet.

“I don’t know what you have in mind, darlin’, but I’m with you, whatever it is.”

“You and I will go in after the things.”

“You don’t mean it!” exclaimed Jane.  “And in this cold water.  Br-rr-r!”

“No; you must not do that,” objected the guardian.  “At least not now.”

“What is it you folks are planning?” questioned Hazel, who, with Tommy and Buster, had joined the party at the end of the pier.  Jane explained what Harriet had proposed.  Margery’s teeth began to chatter again.

“My—­my weak heart won’t stand any more,” she groaned.  “Don’t ask me to go into that horrid, cold water again. Please don’t!”

“You won’t feel the cold once you are in,” urged Harriet.

“No.  I didn’t feel it the other time, did I?”

“What?  Go in thwimming,” demanded Tommy.  “I wouldn’t go in that water again for a dollar and fifty thentth; no, not for a dollar and theventy-five thentth.”  Tommy began backing away, as though fearing the others might insist and assist her in.  Suddenly she uttered a scream.

“Thave me!” yelled Tommy.

They saw her lurch backward; her feet left the pier; then came a splash.  Tommy Thompson had gone over backward and taken to the water head first.

CHAPTER III

HARRIET HAS A NARROW ESCAPE

“Thave me!  Oh, thave me!”

Tommy had turned over and righted herself before rising to the surface.  When she did appear she was within a foot or so of the pier.  Her little blonde head popped up from under the water all of a sudden, and in that instant she opened her mouth in a wail for help.  Tommy’s companions were fairly hysterical with merriment.  Tommy yelled again, begging them to “thave” her.

“I’ll save ye, darlin’,” cried Jane, throwing herself down and fastening a hand lightly in Tommy’s hair, whereat the little girl screamed more lustily than before.  “Lend a hand here, my hearties.  The darlin’ wants to be saved.  We’ll save her, won’t we?” Jane shouted in great glee.

“Of course we will,” answered Harriet.  She leaned over the edge of the pier, Jane raising the little girl until the latter’s shoulders were above water; Harriet got hold of her dress and worked her hand along until she had grasped Tommy by the ankles.

“Let go!” yelled Tommy.

She meant for Harriet to release her feet, but instead Jane McCarthy released her hold on Tommy’s shoulders.  The next second Tommy Thompson was standing on her head in the pond with Harriet Burrell jouncing her up and down, trying to get her out of the water, but taking more time about it, so it seemed, than was really necessary.  Every time Tommy’s head was drawn free of the water she uttered a choking yell.  There was no telling how long the nonsense might have continued, had not Miss Elting thrust Harriet aside, resulting in Tommy’s falling into the water and having to be rescued again.  Tommy was weeping when finally they dragged her to the pier and wrung the water out of her clothing.