"So should I," said William; "and you and I together could lick Carter Hewes, if he is bigger than either of us. I suppose he's a rebel too."
Just here there came an interruption, for the waterfall had drawn the hook under a big flat stone, and there it caught.
"Crickey!" said the boy in the pink breeches. "I'm fast on the bottom." He stretched out with both hands, and gave a sharp pull on the line.
It all came so suddenly that not one of the three could have foretold what was going to happen. But the bank gave way, and Master Frothingham went down head over heels into the deep hole.
Now, strange as it may seem, owing to Aunt Clarissa's fostering care, neither one of the twins had learned to swim.
The water was very deep, and the fall was eight feet, if an inch, but, nevertheless, in a moment George's frightened face appeared. He tried to grasp the bank, but so steep was it his fingers slipped off the smooth rock, and he sank again, gasping and trying to shriek aloud.
The little girl jumped to her feet, and ran in among the trees, crying for help with all her little voice. William did not pause for half a breath. He leaped out from the bank and dashed through the shallow water towards where one of his brother's arms was waving upon the surface.
Suddenly he went over his own depth, and the tails of his blue velvet coat were all that could be seen. But he managed to struggle on, fighting to keep afloat, with all his might, until he caught the arm at last. George's head once more showed clearly above the water, and then both boys sank.
Gracie's cries by this time had startled all the echoes up the hill-sides.
"Cato! oh, Cato!" she shrieked. "They're drowning! they're drowning! Help! help! Oh, help!"