“Well, I do declare!” thought Zaidos. He decided that he had better find out just what sort of a fellow he was supposed to be anyhow.
Velo went on, “When I got him into the water, I had to take him over my shoulder, and swim for dear life to get away from the boat before she went down. We just made it, and at that he clung to me with such a grip that I thought I would have to let go and leave him to his fate.”
“Queer how they hang on to one in the water,” said the doctor. “It seems strange he does not swim.”
“Oh, he swims a little,” said Velo. “He thinks he swims well, but it does not amount to much. I got hold of a life belt and buckled it around him, and kept his courage up as well as I could. The fight out there nearly finished him.”
“I don’t know as I blame him,” said the doctor. “It must have been a pretty stiff experience, especially when a shot came your way occasionally.”
“Yes, it was exciting,” Velo agreed. He spoke with the ease of a man accustomed to worse things. Zaidos wondered how the doctor ever believed it all.
“Well,” he said, “I’ll have to go on. You can congratulate yourself, young man, on having the courage and patience to stick it out and save the lad. It is a great credit to you and I’m proud to know you.” And he turned and walked softly away between the white bunks.
Velo remained standing near Zaidos. Presently he came over and looked down at his cousin. Zaidos opened one eye and looked up. The other he kept tightly closed. It gave him a teasing, guying expression of countenance which he had many times found very irritating at school.
“Dear, dear Velo,” he said with a simper, “how can I ever thank you for saving my life?”