The old gentleman looked at Jack, and the lady smiled, while the boy himself flushed a little at the child’s artless remark and the attention it had drawn to him.
“Oo! Isn’t dat high!” cried the girl, pointing at the central span of the Brooklyn bridge.
“Yes,” answered Jack.
Just then the engine bell rang, and the boat stopped in mid-stream, while her whistle gave out several shrill toots.
Another gong sounded, and the boat began to back and her head to swerve slowly down the river.
Jack looked ahead as well as he could and saw part of a large freight float close aboard.
Then came a sudden and violent shock that threw the passengers almost off their feet.
The boy grabbed the rail, but the old gentleman went down on the deck, his arm slipping from the child, who went overboard with the shock.
The lady, who had been thrown back several feet, gave a heart-rending scream and flew at the rail.
“Fanny, my darling! Oh, heaven, she is overboard! Save her!”