“What’s the trouble, Tilford?” asked the councilor smilingly.
“I guess my eyes are kind of weak,” Nelson answered. “The water makes them smart like anything.”
“Better keep them closed when you go under. It isn’t the fault of your eyes, though; it’s the water.”
“That’s different. The eyes are used to salt water, but fresh water irritates them.”
“I should think it would be the other way,” said Nelson, blinking.
“Not when you consider that all the secretions of the eye are salty. Tears never made your eyes smart, did they?”
“No, sir; that’s so. It’s funny, though, isn’t it?”
“Well, it’s like a good many other things, Tilford--strange until you get used to it. I suppose you swim pretty well?”
“Oh, I don’t know, sir. I’ve swam all my life, I guess, but I don’t believe I’m what you’d call a dabster.”
“I wouldn’t think of calling you that, anyhow,” laughed the Doctor, “for I don’t think I know what it means. But how about diving?”
“I’ve never done much of that. I’ve usually bathed in the surf, you see. I’d be scared silly if I tried what those fellows are doing.”
The fellows referred to were standing on a tiny platform built up a good ten feet above the floor of the pier. One by one they launched themselves into the lake, at least eighteen feet below, some making straight dives, some letting themselves fall and straightening out just as they reached the surface, and one, who proved to be Dan Speede, turning a backward somersault and disappearing feet first and hands high over head.
“That was a dandy, wasn’t it?” asked Nelson with enthusiasm.
“Yes; I guess Speede’s the star diver here. But he takes mighty big risks sometimes. If you want to try a dive I’ll watch you and see if I can help you any with criticism.”
“All right, but I just jump off when I dive,” said Nelson. “But I’d like to learn, sir.”
So he swam over to the steps, reaching them just ahead of Dan, and walked along the pier to a place where there was no danger of striking the steam-launch which was tied alongside. He had just reached a position that suited him and was standing sideways to the water, when there as an exclamation, some one apparently stumbled into him, and he went over like a ninepin, striking the water in a heap and going so far under he thought he would never come up again. But he did finally, his lungs full of water and his breath almost gone from his body--came up choking and sputtering to see Dan looking down with that maddening grin on his face, and to hear him call: