“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I said mysteriously.
Agony looked at me gravely for a minute. “Didn’t I hear Gladys putting you to bed that night and going off for hot water?” she murmured dreamily. “Seems to me I have a faint, far off recollection.” She made little snorting noises, plainly in imitation of a pig, and sank below the surface again.
I was filled with a blind fury at Agony. I wanted to jump on her and choke her. I had been standing on the diving board and on the spur of the moment I went off backwards. I had only one thought in my mind; to reach Agony and duck her as she deserved. There was a great shout as I went off, followed by a round of applause.
“What is it?” I asked, coming up and blinking stupidly at the knot of watchers gathered around the pool.
“The Hawaiian dive!” they cried. “You did it perfectly. Do it again.”
Agony came up out of the pool and watched enviously. For four weeks she had been practising that dive and hadn’t mastered it yet. I hadn’t ever hoped to learn it. And here I had done it the very first time! They made me do it again and again, and clapped until the ceiling echoed as I got the somersault in every time. It was glorious. I forgave Agony for fooling me about the Captain; I even forgave the Captain for the time being. He could go off and get married if he wanted to; I could do the Hawaiian back dive!
“How did you ever do it?” asked Agony enviously, as we dressed together, “somersault and all? Do you really think there’s any chance of my ever doing it?”
“Sure, you’ll do it some day,” I replied out of the fullness of my wisdom,—“if you get mad enough.”
Your broken-hearted,
Hinpoha.