A party of Boys had been fishing from a barge when one of them, attempting to cross from one barge to another by a plank, fell into the water. The adjacent lock gates were partially open, and there was consequently a strong current which swept the Boy into deep water, where he quickly sank. 

Terence, although small for his age, dived in fully dressed and, swimming out to the drowning Boy, who was much bigger than himself, succeeded in reaching him. He was in great danger of being swept under one of the barges or dashed against the lock gates, but after a struggle he reached safety and saved the Boy’s life.