“I must go in for him, or he will never get back,” Frank said, pulling off his coat and waistcoat; but just as he was about to plunge in, there was a shout from the bystanders, and a man came running up with a long rope which he had fetched from the Humane Society’s house. Frank took it from him and threw it to the boy, who caught the end, and was drawn rapidly to the shore amidst the shouts of the crowd, the little dog swimming behind with sharp barks of pleasure. The boy was terribly exhausted, and it was proposed to carry him to the Society’s house; but while the matter was being debated, he recovered himself a little, and said—
Please would they leave him alone, he was only out of breath, and would rather run home, for he was late already, and mother would be wondering what had become of him.
Seeing that he really was coming round and was anxious to be off, it was agreed to let him have his way. Two men accordingly chafed his arms and hands. When the circulation was restored, his jacket was put on him, and his hands encased in a pair of warm woollen gloves, sizes too large for him, the gift of one of the lookers-on. In the meantime another of the bystanders took off his hat, and went round among the crowd. He speedily collected a goodly number of halfpence, sixpences, and shillings, and a few half-crowns; Frank dropping in a sovereign for himself and Prescott. By the time that the boy had finished his toilet, such as it was, and had pronounced himself “all right,” the man came up with the amount collected.
The boy opened his eyes in astonishment. “Is all this for me?”
“Yes, my boy, and you deserve it well.”
“But I did not do it for money,” he said; “I only did it because I could not bear to hear the dog yelp so.”
“We know that, my lad,” Frank said; “and this money is not to pay you, but only to show you how pleased we all are with your pluck. You are a brave little fellow. What is your name? and where do you live? for I should like to see if anything can be done for you.”
“My name is Evan Holl, sir; and I live in Moor Street, Knightsbridge.”
“I shall not forget you,” Frank said; “there, run along now, and don’t stop till you get home.”
While they had been speaking, the man who had collected the money had with difficulty put it into the pockets of the boy’s wet trousers, for his hands were quite useless in the big gloves in which they were enveloped.