“It won't cost you a bit more,” he ses, “not if you work it properly.”
Bob didn't work it properly, but George having saved his life, and never letting 'im forget it, he didn't like to tell him so. He thought he'd let 'im see gradual that he'd got to be careful because of 'is gal, and the fust evening they was ashore 'e took 'im along with 'im there to tea.
Gerty Mitchell—that was the gal's name—'adn't heard of Bob's accident, and when she did she gave a little scream, and putting 'er arms round his neck, began to kiss 'im right in front of George and her mother.
“You ought to give him one too,” ses Mrs. Mitchell, pointing to George.
George wiped 'is mouth on the back of his 'and, but Gerty pretended not to 'ear.
“Fancy if you'd been drownded!” she ses, hugging Bob agin.
“He was pretty near,” ses George, shaking his 'ead. “I'm a pore swimmer, but I made up my mind either to save 'im or else go down to a watery grave myself.”
He wiped his mouth on the back of his 'and agin, but all the notice Gerty took of it was to send her young brother Ted out for some beer. Then they all 'ad supper together, and Mrs. Mitchell drank good luck to George in a glass o' beer, and said she 'oped that 'er own boy would grow up like him. “Let 'im grow up a good and brave man, that's all I ask,” she ses. “I don't care about 'is looks.”
“He might have both,” ses George, sharp-like. “Why not?”
Mrs. Mitchell said she supposed he might, and then she cuffed young Ted's ears for making a noise while 'e was eating, and then cuffed 'im agin for saying that he'd finished 'is supper five minutes ago.