"There is no time to lose," she cried. "They may drown at any moment. Come! Come quickly, and help me save them."
The man looked at her with a strange, far-away expression in his eyes.
"Don't you hear me?" cried Grace in an agony of impatience. "Are you deaf?"
He shook his head stupidly, touching his ears and mouth.
"Deaf and dumb!" she exclaimed in despair.
Holding up two fingers, Grace pointed toward the water. Then she made a swimming motion. Perhaps he had understood. She could not tell, but her quick eye had caught sight of a long, thin plank on the shore.
Pulling off one of her mittens, she showed him a little pearl and turquoise ring her mother had given her for a birthday present, indicating that she would give it to him if he would help her. Then she seized one end of the plank and made a sign for him to take the other; but the stubborn creature began to unload the chips from the wagon.
Grace ran blindly ahead, dragging the plank alone.
"He's feeble-minded," she quivered. "I suppose I shall have to work this thing by myself."
When she had reached the bank, Grace heard him trotting behind her with his little wagon. In another moment there was a tug at the board. She turned and shook her fist angrily at him; but, without regarding her in the least, he lifted the plank and rested it on the wagon. Then motioning her to hold up the back end, he started on a run down the bank.