News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1905-03-15

Chafe his hands and rub him little
If we had some brandy, think we
might give him some"
Perhaps old Simon has some at the
boathouse; but that's nearly mile, or
else would run and get some"
"I'll GO" said Jack. though l feel
rather weak and am so jolly wet. 1t
will take me full five minutes to get my
| boots on"
Hunston made no reply. His odious
selfishness showed itself at every turn.
Luckily there was hail from the river.
Hello, you young gents! What's
| up?" exclaimed voice, which they rec
| ognized as old Simon's."
He had come up with gentleman in
a punt who was DESTROYS of having an
hour or twos fishing in a favorite hole
of his, and on tbs way Simon had no
ticed his boat bottom upward, with the
SOULS not far off. He knew that an ac-
cident had happened by these tokens.
only a swamp" answered Hunston
in loud voice.
ANY damage done?"
mot much. It's all right" Turning
| to Jack, he added: Go into those
! bushes will you, until | come to you.
| | have got into this bother myself and
want to get out of it in my own way.
| don't want you to be seen in it. Let
me do as | like in this instance as a
favor, will you? III never forget your
kindness if you will
''Shall you be long?"
mo; my idea Is to get old Simon to
take Fisher to his house. He'll do it
better and quicker by water than we
shall by land"
Very WELL" Jack replied
Taking his clothes in his hands, he
darted into the bushes indicated by
funston just as Simon had landed and
came into sight When Simon, followed
by the angler. caught sight of Fisher,
he shook his head.
Drowned" he said. 81 thought you
could swim, young gentleman"
Il can swim we'll enough" funston
boldly answered in reply to the boat
man. 81 had to go in after my friend
here because he got caught in the
weeds. But he's not dead; he'll soon
come to if you will attend to him."
That's a different matter" said ST.
mon. land Pm glad to see you had the
pluck in you | always take a gentle
mans word, and when you said you
could swim, why, let you have the
boat"
ITS bad affair, but | think the
boy will come round" the stranger re-
marked.
"a warm bath and blankets will do
him more good than anything else,
with a drop of spirits" replied Simon,
land if you don't mind fishing from
the bank. sir, for once, I'll take the
punt back to my house and see to him. =
certainly; take it, and | will lend
you hand. You have two poles, and
two can punt better than one"
That's true enough, sir, and thank
you" Simon rejoined. You're like me.
You can't bear to see fellow creature
in distress. Bear a hand, sir. I'm 60
ing to take you at your word. Well
lift him gently. See. he breathes, and
that's one comfort. Lor', what way
Mr.. Crawcour would be in if he knew
one of his boys had been in the water
like this!'
THANK you, Simon" said funston.
81 always knew you were not a bad
old sort, and l will see that you are
rewarded for your trouble"
Il don't want any reward but that
of my own conscience. Are you COM
ing with us?"
mo; shall only be in the way. If
come, it will make the boat heavier, so
III run along the bank and get to the
boathouse as soon as YOU"
Right" said Simon, who, with the
aid of the Stranger, carried the still
inanimate boy to the punt.
He was laid comfortably on the bot
tom of the punt, which, by the
energetic exertions of the two men,
rapidly disappeared in the distance and
was soon concealed from view by the
overhanging alder and pollard willows,
whose pendent branches dropped in the
stream.
AS may be imagined, Hunston's
reluctance to accompany the punt arose
from his wish to speak to Jack. HIS
vanity had prompted him to take upon
himself the merit of saving Fishers
life. and he thought he knew Jack
well enough to he sure that he should
find him willing tool in his hands.
"Jackr' Ne cried. "Harkaway! Jack"
Out of the bushes came Jack, who
had contrived to dress himself and was
shivering from the effects of his i'm
mersion.
rs he gomez" asked Jack.
Eyes, down to old Simon's. The
responsibility is on their shoulders now,
and he will be quite safe with them"
"How did it happenY continued Jack
ooh, | don't know. l was larking,
trying to brighten Fisher by moving
the boat on one side, then on the other.
He got into funk, lost his balance,
and the accident occurred. 1t was a
wonder we weren't both drowned"
"Perhaps you're reserved for another
fate" observed Jack slyly.
Don't laugh"
I'm not laughing"
Don't chaff, then" said Hunston, cor