"One, two, three, four, five, six," counts Grey. "Six boats?"
"Yes, sir, six boats. It's the awfullest thing ever happened on the river in my time; and I'm on the Weeslade, man and boy, upwards of forty year."
"An hour ago. I did not think it was so long. I came as quickly as I could."
"I saw you pull a punt-race twenty-five years ago, sir, and you'd have beaten your pulling in the punt then by your pulling in the wherry this evening. Ay, sir, you'd have pulled that wherry round the punt."
"How many were saved?"
"About forty."
"Were they landed at one or both sides of the river?"
"They were all landed at Asherton's Quay over there."
"Do you know—did you see any of the saved?"
"Most of them. I helped to bring in some thirteen."