"You don't need a stick," said the big boy, peering over beside her. "See how shallow it is? And a stick would just stir up mud and get its clothes all dirty."
"I could pretty nearly reach it without a stick," suggested Mary Jane as she sat on the pier and reached down into the water.
"That's an idea," exclaimed the boy, "that's just what I'm going to do." He proceeded to lie down flat on the narrow dock and stretch his hands down into the water.
"You almost touched it!" exclaimed Mary Jane excitedly, "just reach a little more—"
"You almost touched it!" exclaimed Mary Jane.
"But I can't reach any more!" said the boy, "see?" And he looked up for a suggestion. "Oh, I'll tell you what!" he added, "I'll reach over farther and you hold my feet so I won't fall in. Then I'll reach down with one hand and I'll bet I get it."
He wormed himself closer to the edge of the dock and while Alice held tightly to his shoes, he reached down, down, down into the water.
"He's got it," reported Mary Jane, who was watching, "he's touched it and he's got it—look!"
Sure enough. The boy wiggled back a bit from the very edge and lifted the dripping doll out of the water.