Arthur had paddled his canoe to the far end of the lake that morning and was coming home on the daily schooner—it made a satisfying round trip. The boat was crowded, and many of the passengers knew Arthur, and quite a few of them had mentioned, more than once, that he spent altogether too much time on the water.
Suddenly someone cried out.
A child had gone overboard. Everyone rushed to the rail. Everyone cried out. Everyone was extremely excited.
Arthur hadn’t seen it happen, but he pushed through to the side and looked down, and saw a little girl in a white dress sinking into the lake.
“She’s been under twice,” someone said.
Arthur didn’t say anything. He didn’t scream. He dove.
A minute later they hauled them both in—Arthur and the little girl, safe.
The people who had always said he spent too much time on the water stood at the rail and were very quiet.
