He saw himself lying in the high grass under a wide-spreading tree in St.Valery, and over him there hovered a white hand that strewed him with fresh blossoms.
At that instant they heard a little frightened cry, followed immediately by a second one, and then a gurgle.

Both sprang to their feet, and Malvine uttered a piercing shriek of terror.

Right in front of them, not more than a step from the terrace, they saw Willy in the midst of a whirl of foam which he had churned up round him with his desperate, struggling little limbs.

His arms were tossing wildly above the water, but the head with its floating golden curls dipped under from time to time, and the little distorted mouth opened for an agonized breath and scream, only to be stopped by the in-rushing water.
The boat rocking violently close by explained with sufficient clearness how the accident had happened.

The boy had clambered on to the edge of the boat to rock himself, had overbalanced and fallen into the water, and in his struggles had already drifted some paces from the shore.
Fido stood barking and gasping on the step and dipping his paws into the water only to draw them out again.
Malvine stretched out her arms to the child, but her feet refused their office, she stood rooted to the spot, unable to do anything but utter terrible inarticulate screams.