“Course you could, but I guess it would take time. If you want me to help, I’ll do it.”
“Will you, really?” exclaimed the other. “Glory! that will be fine! I wanted to ask you, but didn’t quite like to; I’ve been so much of a bother to you already.”
“Oh, get out. We’ll go down to the river and find a place where it’s not too deep; I think I know of one. The water’ll be plaguy cold, though, this early. Want to wait a while longer?”
“No, I want to begin right off—before my courage fails me; you know, I’m an awful fool about water, Anthony.”
“Because you don’t understand it. Water won’t hurt you if you know what to do.”
“And you won’t mind if—if I’m a bit scary at first?”
“No, I won’t mind. If you say you want me to teach you to swim, I’ll do it if I have to throw you in the water and hold you there. Do you?”
Jack took a long breath and looked hard at Anthony’s face in the moonlight. What he saw evidently reassured him, for after a pause he said faintly:
“Y—yes!”