So little seemed to be the matter, that, when he was dressed, Dicksee walked slowly back to the school, Mercer and I following him with Lomax.
“Rum thing,” he said, “how crusty the being nearly drowned makes a lad. Hardly worth all the trouble we took over him, eh?”
“Oh, don’t talk like that, Lom!” I cried.
“But he was precious disagreeable,” cried Mercer; “and after the way in which you saved his life too!”
“I didn’t,” I said; “it was Lom here.”
“Nay, lad, you got hold of him diving, first. If it hadn’t been for you, I shouldn’t have had anything to rub. But I was thinking.”
“What of, Lom?”
“Of how strange it is, lads, that we somehow have to help and do good to them who’ve always been our enemies. That chap’s always hated you, Mr Burr.”
“Yes, I’m afraid so, Lomax,” I said, with a sigh.
“And so you go into the water, and save his life.”