On his arm he carried a large basket of clean linen, with which he now tried to elbow his way through the crowd.
"An English boy! Shame that he should show his face among us," said Blair in his excitement.
"We'll give him a taste of salt water," said two or three of the oldest boys as they seized the stranger roughly by the shoulders.

"We'll teach him to mend his manners." "Stop, stop, boys.

Give him fair play," shouted Blair; but Blair was no longer the object of attention.
The English boy, in spite of his struggles, was hurried to the edge of the wharf, and pushed relentlessly over the brink.
A thorough ducking to him, and the scattering of his precious basket of clothes, was all that the young rascals intended.

To their horror, the stranger sank like a heavy load--rose, and then sank again.
"He can't swim; he can't swim.

He'll be drowned!" burst from the lips of the spectators.