Dimly he heard shouts and laughter above, but he didn't come to the surface until twenty long strokes had taken him far away from where Sawyer, at a loss, was casting about the middle of the tank for him.

His reappearance was heralded by shouts of applause from the younger fellows, many of whom, scenting real trouble, had scrambled out of the water.

Sawyer, warned of Steve's whereabouts, looked down the tank, saw him and started pell-mell after him.

Again Steve went under, swam cautiously toward the side until he could see the white tiles within reach and then edged back the way he had come.

He tried to reach the shallow end of the tank before taking breath, but the effort was too great, and when he stuck his head out for an instant he found that those at the edge of the tank had been following his under-water progress and were shouting and laughing down at him from above.