"Peter," he added suddenly, as if struck by a new idea, "I am no
fearer of water. I can dive and swim, and I have long wind, and can
hold my breath a great while. Thinkest thou that if I were to leap
into the well and dive to the bottom, thou couldst give me the rope
when I reappeared, and with the aid of the ass pull me forth again?
I can dive through the water, I trow, albeit the well is none too
wide. But I could not climb the steep stone sides; thou and the ass
must help me there."

Petronella was a little timid of the experiment lest harm should
befall her brother, and persuaded him at last to tie the rope about
him ere he dived, so that in the event of his striking his head, or
in any other way hurting himself, she would have power to pull him
up and out, even if he should have lost consciousness. After making
her promise not to use this power unless she were fully persuaded
he was in some difficulty and unable to help himself, Cuthbert
consented to this amendment; and when all preparations were
complete he balanced himself for a moment on the edge of the well,
and then launched himself downwards in a line as straight as an
arrow.

Eagerly and breathlessly Petronella watched for his reappearance,
holding her own breath the while, as though in some way that would
help the diver. He was long gone, as it seemed to her. She had been
forced to take one deep respiration, and was almost tempted to pull
at the rope in her hand, when the water suddenly became again
disturbed and full of bubbles, and a head appeared above it again.

"Cuthbert!" she exclaimed, in a tone of glad relief, "O Cuthbert,