"Give him some more brandy," he heard somebody say. And again he felt the burning liquid pass down his throat.
"Then they got me out?" he managed to whisper in a few minutes. But his words were very low, and only Jack caught them.
"Yes, there was a rope close by in case of accident, and they got hold of you first. You hadn't been any time under water. Robert, do you think you're well enough to try to get home."
Robert sat up. It was with great difficulty that he did so, but he succeeded.
"He'll do now," said one of the crowd. "The colour's coming back to his lips and cheeks."
"The sooner you can take off them wet clothes of yours the better," said another, addressing Robert. Then, as a murmur of horror was heard, the speaker turned, asking eagerly, "Eh! What's that? Drowned? And they are bringing him along?"
There was a fresh excitement now, and the crowd leaving the smaller for the greater, Robert and Jack found themselves comparatively alone.
"Do you think you could walk?" whispered Jack, in a voice full of strange, frightened horror. "It's awful to be here, and I'm afraid they'll ask your name, and then it'll all come out. I've got enough money to pay for a cab to take us to the station if you could manage to get across the ice."
Robert just moved his head by way of reply, and Jack helped him up, but he was so faint and giddy that he would have fallen back again, had not a man's strong arms been thrown around him. With this support the faintness presently passed. Then he was half led, half carried to a cab, and in a short time he and Jack were seated in the train, and every minute was bearing them nearer home.
