Sportacus came shooting out of the water, Ziggy slung limply over one shoulder. They landed on the muddy edge of the water hole. Sportacus flipped Ziggy on his back, between Stingy and Trixie´s feet, as he slipped back into the water.

Pixel knelt down and tried turning Ziggy on his side. 'Help me, Trixie. We have to try to get the water out of the poor little guy.' Trixie pulled Ziggy further from the edge of the water and proceeded to help turn Ziggy.

'Hey! What do you think you are doing?' Stingy stood at Ziggy´s head, shaking from a mix of fright and anger. 'Ziggy is MY friend! I´ll be the one to help him, thank you!' Stingy shoved Pixel out of the way and began pounding on Ziggy´s back. Water spewed from Ziggy´s nose and mouth. Finally, he lay still, but breathing. Trixie carefully rolled him onto his back.

'How is he?' Sportacus asked. No one had noticed when he made it out of the water. Now he stood over the kids, who were standing over Ziggy.

'He´s alive. Thanks to you, Sportacus,' Stephanie answered.

Pixel frowned a little. 'And thanks to Trixie for helping me, and Stingy for beating the water out of him.'

'Yes, thank you, all three of you. Your quick thinking probably saved Ziggy´s life,' Sportacus added.

'But, Sportacus...' Stephanie began, but was cut off by Trixie.

'He´s so still and, and, quiet. That´s just not right.'

'I am sure he will be after some rest. I will take him home and make sure he will be alright.' Sportacus picked Ziggy up in his arms and started walking toward town.

'Wait for me, Sportacus!' Stingy ran to catch up with him. 'He´s my friend and I don´t want anything to happen to him.'

'Good. That is what friends are for. But Stingy, sometimes things happen that we can´t control, they just happen anyway.' Sportacus stopped and turned toward the kids left standing next to the water hole. He gave them his best serious look he could. 'There is also no reason to tempt fate. Kids, stay out of the water until I get back and can be your lifeguard. We were lucky with Ziggy, the next accident might not turn out okay.'

None of the kids moved. Sportacus frowned. He walked back and leaned toward them. His eyes, normally the bright blue of a clear Artic sky, were shooting icicle daggers. They had turned dark blue, the dark of the Arctic ocean. Those eyes pierced each child´s in turn.

'Trixie?'

'Awww, Sportacus! It´s hot out here! Oh shoot, okay. I won´t go in without a lifeguard,' Trixie agreed while rolling her eyes. She turned and kicked a clod of mud into the water, then went and sat in the shade of a tree.

'Stephanie?'

Stephanie stepped forward and ran her hand gently over the side of Ziggy´s face. She couldn´t believe how cold he felt. She put her hand over one of Sportacus´ holding Ziggy.

'I promise,' Stephanie nodded in agreement. Sportacus barely missed knocking Ziggy´s head into Stephanie as he stepped around her to face Pixel.

'Pixel?'

'But I dug it! I´ve been waiting for this since last year when I planned it all out in my head, then on my computer. I even created a new program to make sure is was structurally safe! Sportacus!' Pixel´s voice shook from frustration, at having to wait longer, and Sportacus thinking he was the only one strong enough, smart enough, or safe enough to lifeguard. Sportacus hadn´t moved. 'Fine. Sure. I´ll wait. Again.' Pixel joined Trixie in the shade of the tree.

'Thanks guys. I´ll be back as soon as I can.' He smiled at Trixie and Pixel as he turned to Stingy. 'Let´s go, Stingy. Let´s take care of our friend.' Again, Sportacus almost ran into Stephanie. 'I´m sorry, Stephanie, better watch out,' he said as he waited for her to move out of his path. Then he carried Ziggy home with Stingy beside him all the way.

Stephanie stood watching them walk toward town in the haze of the afternoon heat. As they disappeared in a mirage ripple, she sat down next to Trixie and Pixel. The shade wasn´t helping much.

'I don´t see why we need a lifeguard, we´re not babies!' Trixie was still fuming. 'If only Ziggy hadn´t gotten hurt, we wouldn´t have to wait.'

'Trixie, that´s not fair. I wish Ziggy hadn´t gotten hurt, just because he´s our friend and I don´t like any of us to get hurt,' Stephanie protested.

'All this time I´ve dreamed about a place to swim, and I still have to wait.' Pixel pouted. 'A lifeguard, that´s all that´s between me and that water. Man.'

A voice from across the water hole startled them.

'Why are kids sitting in the shade when you could be swimming?'

The person speaking was wearing an old style swimsuit. It was navy blue with an anchor in the middle of the chest. The muscle style shirt didn´t really live up to its purpose, since the man had no muscles of which to speak. And the legs sticking out from the shorts were very skinny, and very pale. Despite the pale appearance of the entire figure, he had on a large straw hat, black glasses, and a glob of white zinc oxide on the tip of his nose. In one hand he carried a lawn chair with a pillow attached, and in the other he carried a life preserver.

The kids walked toward him slowly. As they got closer, Pixel could finally read the words around the anchor.

'Lifeguard! Hot dog!' Pixel jumped in the water. Trixie ran up to read the man´s suit, then dived in behind Pixel. Stephanie looked closely at the man. She looked longingly at the water, and then back toward town.

'What´s wrong pinkstuff? Do you need special permission to swim?'

'Who are you?'

'Just call me Rob the Rescuer. Lifeguard at your service.' The man grinned, a little strangely, but Stephanie decided it was okay. She looked back at town once more, then lifted her chin and yelled as she jumped in.

Rob the Rescuer, alias Robbie Rotten, stretched out on his chair, and readied himself for if not a quiet nap, a nap nonetheless.