"You are welcome to that," replied the ferryman; "it costs me nothing; and, as for my little trouble, I should be sorry to think of that, when a fellow-being's life was in danger."
"You have behaved very well—very well, and I can do little more now than thank you, for I have been robbed of all I possessed about me at the moment."
"Oh! you have been robbed?"
"Aye, truly, I have, and have been thrown into the water, and thus I have been nearly murdered."
"It is lucky you escaped from them without further injury," said the ferryman; "but come in doors, you must be mad to stand here in the cold."
"Thank you; your hospitality is great, and, at this moment, of the greatest importance to me."
"Such as we have," said the honest ferryman, "you shall be welcome to. Come in—come in."
He turned round and led the way to the house, which he entered, saying—as he opened the small door that led into the main apartment, where all the family were assembled, waiting for the almost only meal they had had that day, for the ferryman had not the means, before the sun had set, of sending for food, and then it was a long way before it could be found, and then it was late before they could get it,—
"Wife, we have a stranger to sleep with us to-night, and for whom we must prepare a bed."
"A stranger!" echoed the wife—"a stranger, and we so poor!"