They put on their bathing-dresses in the house and, with sand-shoes on bare feet, went down the slope to the lake.  There was a tiny sand-bank near the jetty, shelving gently under the water: a good place for Garth to splash and paddle when he was tired of swimming.  He had not been a very apt pupil in the water—perhaps because his swimming lessons were somewhat haphazard, given when either Tom or Aileen had time.  To swim half a dozen strokes was an achievement for him, and he accomplished it to-day with much puffing and blowing.  Then he returned to the shallows and played with Bran, while ’Possum dived off a log into a deep pool, and Aileen swam about lazily—she was not a strong swimmer, and the day was not one for exertion, even in the water.  However, they were all refreshed, when at length Garth clamoured that he was hungry, and the three dripping figures climbed the hill to the house.