Are you ready ?" said Birket, seating himself beside his friend on a ledge.
"No," said Gosse, looking down at the water and getting off the board.
"Do you funk it ?" "No." "Then go in! Hurry up, or we'll come and help you!" "I'd--I'd rather go in from the _edge_," said the boy.
"You funk the board then ?" The boy looked at the board, then at his tyrants, then at the water.
"I suppose I do," said he, sulkily.
"Then put on your clothes and cut it," said Swinstead, scornfully.
Then, turning to Heathcote, he shouted.

"Now then, young 'un, in you go." Heathcote plunged.

He was nervous, and splashed more, perhaps, than usual, but it was a tolerable header, on the whole, for a new boy, and the spectators were not displeased with the performance or the swim across the pool and back which followed.
"All right," said Swinstead; "stick to it, young un, and turn up regularly.

Can your chum swim ?" "Rather!" said Heathcote, taking his head out of the towel.

"I wish I could swim as well as he can." "Humph!" said Swinstead, when presently the two Seniors were left to themselves.