THE LAKE
319
not be sure if he addressed his irritation to me or to Bette; it did
not matter, though, because I realized that we came to the shore
the sooner as his irritation grew. "My God! I'll never take care of
you again. I almost had that fish. Was he big! I would have had him
too, if you didn't pull a stunt like that. . . . See how I gave- him
artificial respiration, Bette? I learned that at the beach, from a fellow
that knew a life-guard, and he taught me-he did, this fellow."
George got onto the walk. He fastened the chain.
"How's about swimming?" George asked her.
"Fine. When you leave Jerry, we could swim out, or maybe
dive off the boat," she said.
George bent to pull me out, but I was too far below him.
"Here, I can help you," said Bette. She strode up to me and
lifted me up from my chest. I was ashamed that she should handle
the apparatus I wore, and her surprised face left me still more
ashamed. George stood me onto my feet. A puddle formed.
"George," I said, "do I have to walk back? Couldn't you get
Mamma and I'd stay here?"
"Sure," George said. He led me to the rocks, where I had stayed
earlier.
"You can lay here and dry out," said George, and, while I
protested, he extended me to face the sun.
"Get Mamma, though, George! I'll be good and wait here.
Please, please, George," I screamed. "Please!"
George joined Bette, saying, as they departed:
"I hope this teaches you a lesson. You're the damn' rottenest
brat that ever lived!"
I closed my eyes, because the sun was directly over me. Flies
charged in. I twisted towards the lake, and I discerned the bouncing
shapes of Bette and George. I averted my head to the shadow fringe
of the rocks, against which the hookless fishing-pole stood; it glad–
dened me
th~t
the fish had escaped. And I waited for Mamma.
