Ignorant of what had happened, the child was kneeling up at the stern, leaning over, and dabbling her hands in the water.
No one had noticed her.

The boys had all deserted the beach.

None of the fishermen were near the spot.
Just before James Walsham came within sight of the sea, the child had overbalanced itself.

His eye fell on the water just as two arms and a frightened little face appeared above it.

There was a little splash, and a struggle, and the sea was bare again.
At the top of his speed James dashed across the road, sprang down the beach, and, rushing a few yards into the water, dived down.