The first six or eight feet from the edge sloped gradually from one to three feet in depth; beyond that the water deepened rapidly until he was floated from his feet and forced to swim; but everywhere the gravelly bottom could be seen, and he was sure there were no treacherous holes to trap the unskilful.
"Is it all right, Mr. Bernard?" asked Joe, standing on the rocks and swinging his arms, impatient for the leap.
"Yes, I think it is."
"May I come?" and Joe's body was thrown into a diving position.
"Any of you who are accustomed to dive may come here. The others must come in by the beach, where the water is shallower."
Before he had finished the sentence, some dozen boys dropped or dived into the pool, and presently he found himself surrounded by a circle of seal-like heads as the young swimmers came to the surface one after another.
"It is too cold for me," he said, as the boys challenged him to swim a match. "I must get dressed and warmed.--Mr. Andrews, look out for the boys. I will send Freitag and Jonas to drill the rocks for the other staples," and Mr. Bernard hastened away, inwardly determined that he had taken his last plunge in that pool. The more timid boys and those who could not swim at all stood at the edge, thrusting in a foot, and then dancing and shrieking at the cold.
John and Jerry stood looking on in open-mouthed amazement or admiration, Joe could not decide which.
"I promised to teach you to swim, didn't I?" cried Joe, coming through the water towards them, grasshopper fashion.
"But you needn't," said both boys retreating, as if fearing that he would seize them and force them in.