She could not have been many
yards out of my depth. Now I will run home and change my things."
James Walsham was too much accustomed to be wet through, to care
anything about his dripping clothes, but they served him as an excuse
to get away, for he felt awkward and embarrassed at the gratitude of
the old soldier. He pushed his way through the little crowd, which had
now gathered round, and started at a run; for the news had brought
almost all those gathered round the peep show to the shore, the
excitement of somebody being drowned being superior even to that of the
peep show, to the great majority; though a few, who had no hope of
obtaining the necessary pennies, had lingered behind, and seized the
opportunity for a gratuitous look through the glasses.
James ran upstairs and changed his clothes without seeing his mother,
and then, taking down one of his lesson books, set to work, shrinking
from the idea of going out again, and being made a hero of.
Half an hour later there was a knock at the front door, and a few
minutes after his mother called him down. He ran down to the parlour,
and there found the showman.
"Oh, I say," the boy broke out, "don't say anything more about it! I do
hate being thanked, and there was nothing in swimming ten yards in a
calm sea.
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