a mistake. As soon as she saw Gene cast his weight down stream, instead of bearing it upstream, she knew the water would take him under. As she saw his handsome face turn toward her, she startled at the look of terror in his eyes. She watched as the wave pushed his body under, and then saw his bamboo pole float to the surface, bobbing with the weight of the still-hooked trout, and Sophia began to run. "Annie, go get some help, she cried as she stripped off the heavy gown, and ran into the water where she had last seen Gene. As Annie ran fast back toward the ranch house, Sophia took a deep breath and dove under the water. The frigid temperature of the water made her instantly alert. She knew that Gene would be downstream from where she had seen him, but she didn't know how far. She silently said a prayer of thanks that her father had taught her how to swim in these treacherous waters.
As she swept her eyes back and forth, she spotted Gene's blonde head only about 10 feet from where she dove in. He was wide-eyed, and struggling fiercely. Sophia could see that his foot had become wedge between two rocks. Rather than try to pull it loose she surfaced, took a deep breath and dove again. She pushed the rock as hard as she could, and it came free. As it did she expected Gene to immediately swim for the surface, but his body had gone limp. Sophia slid her arms under his, and pulled him to the air with her. They were only about 10 feet from the shore, but she didn't think she could swim with Gene against the current. She kept him afloat as the river pushed them downstream, and then into the still water below. She pulled Gene to the shore, placed him on his stomach and pushed as hard as she could on his back. She desperately wanted to hear him breath, she pushed harder and harder, watching as his body became white, and then startlingly blue. She hit his back as hard as she could, and when that brought no water out of his lungs, Sophia stood up and placed her right foot on Gene's back. She brought her left foot up, and gently jumped on Gene's lungs, "Come on, kid" she was thinking, just as she heard him start to cough. She gave him another quick lung jump and was overjoyed to see water start to stream out of the side of his mouth. He coughed, and then began to
As she swept her eyes back and forth, she spotted Gene's blonde head only about 10 feet from where she dove in. He was wide-eyed, and struggling fiercely. Sophia could see that his foot had become wedge between two rocks. Rather than try to pull it loose she surfaced, took a deep breath and dove again. She pushed the rock as hard as she could, and it came free. As it did she expected Gene to immediately swim for the surface, but his body had gone limp. Sophia slid her arms under his, and pulled him to the air with her. They were only about 10 feet from the shore, but she didn't think she could swim with Gene against the current. She kept him afloat as the river pushed them downstream, and then into the still water below. She pulled Gene to the shore, placed him on his stomach and pushed as hard as she could on his back. She desperately wanted to hear him breath, she pushed harder and harder, watching as his body became white, and then startlingly blue. She hit his back as hard as she could, and when that brought no water out of his lungs, Sophia stood up and placed her right foot on Gene's back. She brought her left foot up, and gently jumped on Gene's lungs, "Come on, kid" she was thinking, just as she heard him start to cough. She gave him another quick lung jump and was overjoyed to see water start to stream out of the side of his mouth. He coughed, and then began to
