The
water of the "old swimming hole," as it was called, was not deep
enough to be dangerous, and Mrs. Bobbsey was not afraid to have Bert
go there without his father. Bert's father had taught him to swim.
"All ready now?" asked Harry, as the boys stood in line on the edge of
the little pool, waiting for the dive.
"All ready!" answered Bert.
"Then go!" cried the farm-boy.
Into the water they splashed, head first, disappearing under the
waves. Up they bounced again, like corks, and then they began swimming
for the other side.
"A race! A race!" cried Bert, shaking his head to get the water out of
his eyes and nose. He had held his mouth tightly shut when diving, so
no water had been able to get between his lips.
"I'll race you!" exclaimed Tom Mason, and soon the boys were swimming
as hard as they could toward the other bank. Some of them could not
swim very well, but they paddled, or swam "dog-fashion."
"Tom's going to win!" cried one of the boys who could not swim fast.
He was now standing up in the water, looking at the three boys in the
lead.
"No, I think Bert will get to the other side first!" said another boy,
who stood on the bank, not yet having dived in.
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