"Well," was the ungracious response, "it does make a difference to me—a whole lot of difference. Will you take me to Sausalito after you meet your friend?"
"I guess the ferryboat can do that for you," answered Matt stiffly.
The strange youth had not had a word of thanks to say to his rescuer, on the contrary, he was acting as churlish as possible in the circumstances.
"I'm in a nice fix to ride on a ferryboat," grumbled the young fellow, looking down at his soggy clothing and his water-logged shoes.
"What's your name?" asked Matt.
"What do you want to know that for?"
"Curiosity," was the cool response. "I'd like to chalk it up in my memory as belonging to a young chap who couldn't even be civil to the fellow who saved him from drowning."
A tinge of color ran through the youth's pale face.
"The captain of the ferryboat would have saved me, if you hadn't," said he.
"He couldn't have got there in time. You were about to sink as I grabbed you."