And
immediately, she and the two men had regained their foothold.
There, chest deep the trio stood or staggered. And, there,
between them and the beach, raged Lad. None of the three cared to
risk wading shoreward, with such an obstacle between themselves
and land. The girl on the bank added her quota of squalls to
those of her semi-engulfed friend; and one of the men began to
reach far under water for a rock to throw at the guard dog.
The first shrill cry had reached the Master, as he sat at work in
his study. Down the slope he came running; and stopped in
slack-jawed amaze at the tableau in front of him.
On the bank hopped and wriggled a woman in vivid garments,--a
woman who waved a broken parasol and seemed to be practicing an
Indian war-howl. Elbow deep in the placid waters of the lake
floundered another woman almost as wonderfully attired as the
first, and quite as vocal. On either side of her was a drenched
and gesticulating man. In the background bobbed an upset canoe.
Between the two disrupted factions of the happy picnic party
stood Lad.
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