"It will be easier together," he said, passing his hand over her shoulder, and obediently she passed hers over his.
"Now then, together!" he cried. "And if you tire you know what to do; and keep time, there's a good girl."
So they struck off, the forward lunge of his long legs aiding hers, that were so far behind in strength. Thus they battled the stream shoulder to shoulder, almost cheek to cheek, her long loose hair sweeping across him, until the worst of it was over and the girl would fain have loosed her grip and turned shorewards definitely.
"Not yet!" he laughed. "Let's swim out to sea a bit! Look--isn't it worth it?"
Aye, worth everything else in the world. Far out in the east over that restless horizon the first ray of the sun had tipped, sending a widening, radiant path of pure gold to meet them. It shone on her red-brown hair, turning it to bronze; it shone in their blue eyes, turning them to sapphires; and it shone on their wholesome, happy faces, transfiguring them out of all semblance to beings of dingy earth and purifying them from all mortal taint. They were freed souls swimming in the vasty ether, all around them the dawn of a new day.
So they went on and on, till suddenly Duke veered their course shorewards with one guiding stroke.
"I shall tire you out," he said softly, and his freed hand, as he disentangled her hair from his neck, lifted the shiny strands to his lips for a second. "You have got such jolly hair, Marmie! I wonder you don't wear it down your back. None of the fellows could resist you then."
Their faces were away from the dawn now and hers already had a cloud on it.
"I'm going to the big rock. I left my shawl there," she said, directing her course towards it.
Duke followed suit in silence. Suddenly he said--