"
"And leave a fellow-creature to perish!" cried the boy almost indignantly.
"O cousin, could you ask me to be so selfish?"
"Not selfish, lad; only prudent. If you want to rescue a drowning man,
throw him a rope, or reach him the end of a pole, or do anything else you
can without putting yourself within reach of his hands."
Rosie, left behind by all her companions, looked this way and that in
fright and perplexity, then ran after Herbert; as that was the direction
to take her to her father and mother.
Mr. Travilla and Eddie had started toward the beach to join the others and
were the first to hear Herbert's cry.
"Oh, it was Cousin Ronald," said the latter; "nobody goes in bathing at
this hour."
"Probably," said his father, "yet--ah, there's the life boat out now and
moving toward the spot."
With that they all ran in the same direction and came up to Mr. Lilburn
and Harold just as the boy had resumed his coat and the gentleman
concluded his exhortation.
They all saw at once that Eddie had been correct in his conjecture.
"Hallo! where's your drowning man?" he called. "Or, was it a woman?"
"Ask Cousin Ronald," said Harold laughing, "he's best acquainted with the
person.
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