The Three Midshipmen
s ever. The camp, however, was strewn with leaves and broken branches, and one tree was uprooted. Mrs. Royall's face was grave as she thought of what might have been, had th
handling as if used to it, showed no desire to get away, and contentedl
," Louise Johnson declared gaily. "Girls
ears," Mary Hastings said. "I've almost stepped on him twice
s long ears, "unless maybe Rose," she added, with a teasing glance o
to mine last night, you wouldn't have stopped to measure him before you yelled, any more than I did. He felt a
, turning, stared in amazement at the Poor Thing-the Poor Thing-for
girl's ears. The fact that Elizabeth said nothing made no difference to Rose. She felt the silent sympathy and was comforted. When she had talked herself out, Elizabeth slipped away and sought Olga, but Olga was nowhere to be found-not in the camp nor on the beach, but one of the boats was missing, and at last a girl told Elizabeth that she had seen Olga go off alone in it. That meant an age of anxious
ull strong, A dip
d true; Through
king of the g
we glide like a
nally ventured a little way into the water. It was horrible to do even that alone, but she had promised, and she must do it eve
water all alone?" demanded Anne Went
ter. "It's that Poor Thing," she cried.
k penguin," laugh
ne?" cried Laura, and hurried on ahead, calling
ed for a moment, swept the wide stretch of blue with a
Laura questioned gently, leading her
st eyes to the kind fa
he broke out, "O Miss Laura, do you think she'll come ba
ourse she'll come back, Elizabeth. Why shouldn't she? She's been out
"I can't help it," she sighed. "The wat
," she said, and for a few minutes they sat in silence, while further up the beach girls were wading and swimming and splashing each other, their shouts of laughter making a merry din. Some were diving fro
nder figure that looked so very small outstretched between sky
that-I do wish she wouldn't
is all right. See, Elizabeth,
r arm across the narrow shrinking shoulders and after a momen
quickly. She did n
wering the look. "But do you love her en
what. She won't ever let
very hard for you,
d at her silen
uld please her so much as to conquer your fear of the water
thing but just that," she moaned. "O Miss Laura, you don't
for Olga?" Laura que
wn her cheeks. "I would if I could. I'd do anything,
in, and lifting the girl's face looked de
world of love and sympathy in
lous hope began to grow in them. It was as if she literally drew courage and determination from the eyes lookin
tered; but Laura caught the note of w
an. I know you ca
abeth, and Laura smile
ord, and when you do, you will not be afraid of the water any more. Myra Karr was afraid just as you are-afraid of almost everything, but one wonderful day she conquered her fe
beth leaned forward, eagerly pointing off over
ow you have suffered worrying over he
don't care now she's coming," she sai
er laughs and frolics. She never really enjoys any of the games. She cares for nothing but work.
e. She had known these things, but
d finally, her eyes on
u are the only one who
en she added hastily, "You mean-going in
, it will mean more to her even than to you. Olga needs you, child, more than
t of all," Elizabet
n really help her," Laura replied. "See, she is
earching glance over the few girls sitting or lying on the sand; then her eyes rested on a little shrinking figure standing like a small blue post, knee deep in
you come
Elizabeth replied,
," said Olga. "Cut ou
her lips trembled, her voice was determined, "no, Olga, I'm
ut!" Olga declared. "You're
m going in-alone-if you won't go with
lf, drew the other girl steadily on until the water rose to her neck. Elizabeth gasped, and deadly fear looked out of he
fore had she looked at Elizabeth as she looked at her then. "Now run
towards the water, and Olga f
ver her shoulder, "go back.
re she could lose her footing Olga's hands were on her shoulders and pushing her swiftly back to the beach. This time, however, she did not s
clothes in a hurr
rotested with a pallid smile, "truly
d Olga, and she slammed the door and vanish
. Laura, looking on, rejoiced over both the girls. Everybody was interested in this marvellous achievement of the Poor Thing-they spoke of her less often by that name now-but only Laura realised how much it meant to Olga too. The day that Elizabeth succeeded in swimming a few yards, Olga for the first time took her o
lga, "are you
aid it would be lovely-like rocking in a bi
no one within hearing. She leaned forward and looked straight into the eyes of the oth
t over it-quite,"
ell me!" Olga's t
said El
rag you into water above your knees-you know I couldn't. Somebo
being afraid. I didn't think I could before-truly, Olga. I honestly thought I'd die if ever the water came up to my nec
oach as well as jealousy now in Olg
I did it for you. I never could have-never in this world!-onl
s something that the Poor Thing had never seen there before-
ar canoe," Olga cr
ow pretty the singing so
y, the many paddles rising and falling as
long, we p
keen a
king of the gre
e glide like a l
"I'm going to teach yo