Sandy quickly leaning over the side of the boat caught hold of him, and dragged him in, though he continued to shriek lustily, and struggle as if he was still in the water.
Poor Fanny gave a cry of alarm.
“He is all safe, young lady, and the cold bath will cool his anger, and won’t do him any harm,” observed Sandy. “But we will just pull off his wet clothes, and I will wrap him in my jacket.”
Norman who soon regained his senses, and became quieter when he found himself safe in the boat again objected to this, but Sandy insisted on doing what he proposed, and in spite of his struggles, took off his wet things, and made him put on his jacket, which he fastened round his waist with a handkerchief.
Fanny who had recovered from her flight, could scarcely help laughing at the funny figure he presented, dressed in the coat with the sleeves turned half way back, so that he might have his hands free.
“You will keep quiet now, young gentleman, I hope, or you will be tumbling overboard again,” said Sandy. “I don’t know what the laird will say to you, when he hears how it happened.”
Norman looked foolish, and made no reply.
Sandy had in the meantime picked up Fanny’s hat, and he now spread Norman’s clothes out on the seats that they might dry in the sun. Having done this, he pulled away as fast as he could towards the landing-place near the house.
As Norman’s clothes were not nearly dry by the time they reached the shore, he packed them away in the basket, which was thus made useful, though in a different way to what Norman expected. Having secured the boat, and helped Fanny out, Sandy took Norman up in his arms and marched away with him to the house.
The laird saw them coming, and of course inquired what had happened.