I could have wished, during the next few days, that Mr. Harry Hawk'sattitude towards myself had not been so unctuously confidential andmysterious. It was unnecessary, in my opinion, for him to grinmeaningly when he met me in the street. His sly wink when we passedeach other on the Cob struck me as in indifferent taste. The thing hadbeen definitely arranged (ten shillings down and ten when it wasover), and there was no need for any cloak and dark-lantern effects. Iobjected strongly to being treated as the villain of a melodrama. Iwas merely an ordinary well-meaning man, forced by circumstances intodoing the work of Providence. Mr. Hawk's demeanour seemed to say, "Weare two reckless scoundrels, but bless you, /I/ won't give away yourguilty secret." The climax came one morning as I was going along thestreet towards the beach. I was passing a dark doorway, when outshimmered Mr. Hawk as if he had been a spectre instead of the mostsubstantial man within a radius of ten miles.

　　" 'St!" He whispered.

　　"Now look here, Hawk," I said wrathfully, for the start he had givenme had made me bite my tongue, "this has got to stop. I refuse to behaunted in this way. What is it now?""Mr. Derrick goes out this morning, zur.""Thank goodness for that," I said. "Get it over this morning, then,without fail. I couldn't stand another day of it."I went on to the Cob, where I sat down. I was excited. Deeds of greatimport must shortly be done. I felt a little nervous. It would neverdo to bungle the thing. Suppose by some accident I were to drown theprofessor! Or suppose that, after all, he contented himself with amere formal expression of thanks, and refused to let bygones bebygones. These things did not bear thinking of.

　　I got up and began to pace restlessly to and fro.

　　Presently from the farther end of the harbour there put off Mr. Hawk'sboat, bearing its precious cargo. My mouth became dry with excitement.

　　Very slowly Mr. Hawk pulled round the end of the Cob, coming to astandstill some dozen yards from where I was performing my beat. Itwas evidently here that the scene of the gallant rescue had beenfixed.

　　My eyes were glued upon Mr. Hawk's broad back. Only when going in tobat at cricket have I experienced a similar feeling of suspense. Theboat lay almost motionless on the water. I had never seen the seasmoother. Little ripples plashed against the side of the Cob.

　　It seemed as if this perfect calm might continue for ever. Mr. Hawkmade no movement. Then suddenly the whole scene changed to one of vastactivity. I heard Mr. Hawk utter a hoarse cry, and saw him plungeviolently in his seat. The professor turned half round, and I caughtsight of his indignant face, pink with emotion. Then the scene changedagain with the rapidity of a dissolving view. I saw Mr. Hawk giveanother plunge, and the next moment the boat was upside down in thewater, and I was shooting headforemost to the bottom, oppressed withthe indescribably clammy sensation which comes when one's clothes arethoroughly wet.

　　I rose to the surface close to the upturned boat. The first sight Isaw was the spluttering face of Mr. Hawk. I ignored him, and swam towhere the professor's head bobbed on the waters.

　　"Keep cool," I said. A silly remark in the circumstances.

　　He was swimming energetically but unskilfully. He appeared to be oneof those men who can look after themselves in the water only when theyare in bathing costume. In his shore clothes it would have taken him aweek to struggle to land, if he had got there at all, which wasunlikely.

　　I know all about saving people from drowning. We used to practise itwith a dummy in the swimming-bath at school. I attacked him from therear, and got a good grip of him by the shoulders. I then swam on myback in the direction of land, and beached him with much /eclat/ atthe feet of an admiring crowd. I had thought of putting him under onceor twice just to show him he was being rescued, but decided againstsuch a source as needlessly realistic. As it was, I fancy he hadswallowed of sea-water two or three hearty draughts.

　　The crowd was enthusiastic.

　　"Brave young feller," said somebody.

　　I blushed. This was Fame.

　　"Jumped in, he did, sure enough, an' saved the gentleman!""Be the old soul drownded?""That girt fule, 'Arry 'Awk!"I was sorry for Mr. Hawk. Popular opinion was against him. What theprofessor said of him, when he recovered his breath, I cannot repeat,--not because I do not remember it, but because there is a line, andone must draw it. Let it be sufficient to say that on the subject ofMr. Hawk he saw eye to eye with the citizen who had described him as a"girt fule." I could not help thinking that my fellow conspirator didwell to keep out of it all. He was now sitting in the boat, which hehad restored to its normal position, baling pensively with an old tincan. To satire from the shore he paid no attention.

　　The professor stood up, and stretched out his hand. I grasped it.

　　"Mr. Garnet," he said, for all the world as if he had been the fatherof the heroine of "Hilda's Hero," "we parted recently in anger. Let methank you for your gallant conduct and hope that bygones will bebygones."I came out strong. I continued to hold his hand. The crowd raised asympathetic cheer.

　　I said, "Professor, the fault was mine. Show that you have forgiven meby coming up to the farm and putting on something dry.""An excellent idea, me boy; I /am/ a little wet.""A little," I agreed.

　　We walked briskly up the hill to the farm.

　　Ukridge met us at the gate.

　　He diagnosed the situation rapidly............