But Jerry was not to be put off. He had come very close to death and it had shaken him out of his reserve. Bob had saved him and he wanted to thank him, to show his gratitude.
“The old dam can wait. You did a mighty fine thing for me and I want to know how you managed it.”
“I just pulled you out and pumped the water out of you and—and here you are,” was Bob’s explanation of the episode.
“Seems to me it was a sort of angry whirlpool you pulled me from,” retorted Jerry. But he saw that he would have a hard time in getting any more details. “Anyhow, I know I’ve got to thank you for my life—such as it is!”
The note of sadness in the latter part of Jerry’s remark struck sharply on Bob’s ears. It flashed on him that there was possibly a reason for his comrade’s fits of silence and grouchiness. This might very well be mixed up with his former life. He made an effort to find out.
“What’s the matter with your life?” he asked quickly. “I’d want nothing better. To be with the Reclamation Service and to have Mr. Whitney for a boss seems pretty good to me!”
“That part’s all right. The Chief is bully, but—”
“But what?” encouraged Bob.
“Oh, it’s nothing I can talk about,” returned the other and buried his face in his hands.
Bob watched him for a moment and then said softly, “But if you can talk about it p’r’aps it will help. Don’t you think so?”