The cove reached, the boys speedily found a spot that suited them.
It was at a point where some overhanging bushes and trees sheltered
a strip of sandy shore. At one point a rock ran out into the river,
making an excellent place from which to dive.

The lads hustled into the bushes and in a very few minutes Snap
appeared in his bathing outfit and was followed by Shep.

"Beat you in!" cried the doctor's son, but hardly had he spoken
when Snap made a leap and landed into the river with a loud splash.
Shep came after him, and both disappeared under the surface, to come
up a second later, thrashing around wildly.

"Whew! it isn't so warm as I thought!" ejaculated Shep. "No Turkish
bath about this!" And he gave a slight shiver.

"You'll soon get used to it," replied Snap. "It's always the first
plunge that takes the breath out of a fellow."

Giant came in next, diving from the rock. Whopper followed more
slowly, putting in first one foot and then the other.

"Moses in the bulrushes!" he gasped. "Say, this water is about
half ice, isn't it?" And he drew back again.

"Whopper, you know better than to go in that way," remonstrated Snap.
"Wet your face and then go in head first---it's the only right way.
If you go in by inches you'll gasp fit to turn your liver over."