no bell was needed to awaken the boys in the morning; and one tent after another was thrown open to the breeze as the boys in undress ran down the beach for a plunge.
"colder than greenland's icy mountains," shouted joe, as he met some of the boys on their way to the water when he was returning to his tent.
"yes, colder than the north-east side of the pole," added david, who followed close behind.
"but jump in all of a sudden and it isn't bad," continued joe.
the boys returned one after another, racing and jumping and exclaiming over their icy bath; and presently all were rosy and glowing with the exercise, ready for anything in the line of work or fun.
they found it hard to calm down at once, as they gathered in mr. bernard's tent for morning prayers; but at the first quiet reminder of the teacher the boys ceased their joking and listened to the scripture reading and the fervent prayer that they all might be helped to live noble, christian lives. he asked that they might not be contented to go through life selfishly, seeking only their own comfort and happiness; but that they might watch for opportunities to be helpful to others, and that they might be kept from all meanness of word or act.
when they came from the tent the savoury odour of breakfast was wafted to them from the cook-tent.
jonas and freitag had been fishing off the point as soon as daylight, and now the victims of their hooks--only an hour ago swimming in the broad ocean--were served up on tin trenchers, set at intervals along the table.
john and jerry arrived in time to furnish the milk for the coffee, and room was made for them at the table, although they had already eaten breakfast.
during the meal the boys were discussing plans for the day, and probably the fishermen in their vessels a mile away heard the noise, and wondered at the babel of voices sounding across the waters.
the archery club announced that they intended to set up their targets in the pasture and practise.
the rifle club were asking permission to use their rifles in the woods, knowing that they were only to do so under the supervision of one of the teachers.
some wanted to fish, and were discussing the relative advantages of the different shores of the island.
"if you want rock-cod i'd advise ye to go out on the point that juts out alongside the beach," said jonas, throwing in a suggestion as he brought a fresh supply of bread.
"i am going to hunt for crystal quartz; who wants to go with me? i found quite a lump yesterday. see here," and little fred wurden displayed his treasure.
"my! where did you find that?"
"oh, i've seen plenty of that! i know where there's plenty of it--a big hole in the rocks, where them shiny things are all hanging down!" said john, the light-keeper's son, with shining eyes.
"where?"--"show us!" cried a number of voices; and even mr. andrews made inquiries, and said he would go to the place after breakfast.
"as soon as the tide is right, i move we have a swimming match," said joe chester.
"when will the tide be right, i'd like to know?" asked dave.
"it is on the ebb now, and by the time our breakfast is done it will be quite low," said another grumblingly.
"don't you worry; there's water enough in the ocean for you to swim in, if the tide is down!" said jonas. "yes, water enough, forty fathoms deep!"
jonas shook his head knowingly.
"i've been out on the point more than once, and sometimes the water is still, and i can see bottom. i sounded with that long fishin'-rod o' mine, and, allowing for the tide, i reckoned there must be about as nice a pool left there at low tide as you'd want to see."
"good!"--"good for you, jonas."
"mr. bernard, did you hear jonas?" asked joe.
"i think i heard, but there are so many talking at once i am not sure. if it is about a swimming-place, i assure you i will investigate the matter this morning, and find a safe place for you to go."
"thank you, sir," answered joe for himself and the others.
"i shall stretch ropes across, showing how far i am willing you should go out; and i expect you to obey me strictly. you know we have promised your parents to run no risk. we have camped out three summers, and have never met with an accident; and i sincerely trust our record may not be changed through any carelessness of ours."
the boys agreed to follow his wishes in every particular.
then, having finished their breakfast, they scattered about the island, some going to the rocks to fish, some to pick berries, and others to practise with bows or rifles.
mr. bernard and two other teachers went to the beach with drills, iron staples, cement, and ropes, to make the bath-beach as safe as possible.
as it was ebb-tide, it was easy to see by the wet sea-weed on the sides of the little cove the height of the water when the tide was in; so there was no delay in locating the position of the first rope to be used at high-water.
holes were drilled in the rocks, and strong iron staples cemented in, in which the rope was fastened.
after that was accomplished they sat on the rocks and watched the sea, or read until the tide was at its lowest, and the boys began to gather around, anxiously questioning whether there was "a chance yet."
"that looks like a first-rate swimming-pool, mr. bernard, just as jonas said," remarked joe, coming to stand by his favourite teacher.
"so it does, joe; but wait till i make sure. the water is much deeper than it looks. i will get my bathing-suit and try."
"hurrah! be all ready, boys; mr. bernard is going to try the water."
led by joe, the crowd scampered away for their trunks, and returned before mr. bernard appeared.
he came at length from the bath-tent, and went down into the water amid the cheers of the boys; and probably their applause prevented a hasty retreat when he learned from experience the temperature of the water.
"i am not taking this plunge for my own pleasure, boys!" he said, shivering and laughing. "i hope you will appreciate the act, for i am a martyr in your behalf."
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.
"but it's fun!"
john shrugged his shoulders.
joe swam to and fro with his mouth open at the surface of the water, and blowing like a young sea-lion; then suddenly, to the horror of the two brothers, he disappeared beneath the waves.
"oh, he's drowned!" shrieked both boys.
no one paid any attention to their cry, and john fairly danced into the water in his fright.
"he's gone under! can't somebody get him?"
"who?" asked one of the swimmers, looking around.
"why, that boy joe. i saw him go under!"
"oh ho, joe chester! you couldn't drown him if you should try. there he is away over there by the rocks. he's a regular water-rat."
and the speaker disappeared under the waves himself.
"i mean to learn to do that myself, jerry," said john in a confidential tone.
jerry nodded, as if to say, "so will i."
it seemed to the boys that they had hardly got into the spirit of the sport, before mr. andrews, with watch in hand, shouted, "time's up, boys!"
"oh no," groaned the swimmers. "give us one more dive!"
"well, one dive, and then you must come out."
the boys swam to the rocks, climbed up like dripping monkeys, and in a minute the pool was full of eddies where the divers had gone down.
as they came to the surface, mr. andrews shouted again, "come; time's up!"
as soon as his words were spoken every head disappeared, and it was useless to call them again until they were obliged to come up for air.
"come on, boys; we agreed to mind!" said joe. "let's go ashore;" and following his own advice, he swam in, and ran up the beach to the bath-tent, followed by his companions, all giving whoops and cries, to help to warm them, they said.
