At least, so Ned thought, when gingerly he started to wade out, for the first swim of the season. He stepped in, ankle-deep--and his toes curled, and his knees shook, and with a hasty exclamation he sprang back.
"Oh, jump in all at once!" urged Hal. "'Tisn't cold; it's fine," and he paddled around to show his perfect satisfaction.
Ned was disappointed. When, on the way over in the boat, they had dabbled with their fingers, to test, the water had seemed just right; but now--ugh!
He tried again, and waded manfully until in above his knees; here he faltered. The other boys, who had been through the ordeal and were happy, began to splash him with chilling drops, so that his naked body shrank, and he shivered and begged.
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" he chattered. "Only let me be, a minute."
"Then wet over or we'll douse you!" threatened his persecutors, menacing him, in a half-circle.
"I will! I will! Quit! Don't you see I am?" implored Ned, wading a little farther. "Gimme a chance to wet my head so I won't have cramp, can't you?"
He stopped, and raising water in his hands dabbled it upon his chest and back and hair, trying to get used by degrees to the change. To his fingers the goose-flesh on him felt like stubble!
Bob, joining forces with the other scoffing spectators, raced along the shallows of the beach, barking his derision. Great cats! what a silly boy! _He_ had been in and out of the water a dozen times.
Suddenly Ned drew a big breath, shut his eyes, and ducked under, sousing himself completely. He emerged choking, staggering, gasping, while his companions, tickled into spasms of merriment, wallowed and shrieked.
But Ned minded not; the worst was past. He boldly lunged ahead for a swim, and the water was not a bit cold.
Beaufort bathers had choice of three favorite resorts. First, there were the rafts, brought down by the steamboats for the mills, and laid up against the shore, waiting their turn to be sawed into lumber--and slabs for Ned to pile! Sometimes their outer edge extended clear to the channel, and to dive from here into the swift, dusky current thirty feet in depth was tremendously exhilarating. When you came to the surface you were fifteen or twenty yards below the point whence you had started.