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“Don’t waste more time,” ses Mr. Cutts to Lewis.

“Off with your clothes and in with you. Anybody’d think you was afraid of a little cold water.”

“Whereabouts did ‘e pitch it in?” ses Lewis.

Bob Pretty pointed with ‘is finger exactly where ‘e thought it was, but they wouldn’t listen to ‘im, and then Lewis, arter twice saying wot a bad cold he’d got, took ‘is coat off very slow and careful.

“I wouldn’t mind going in to oblige you,” ses Bob Pretty, “but the pond is so full o’ them cold, slimy efts; I don’t fancy them crawling up agin me, and, besides that, there’s such a lot o’ deep holes in it. And wotever you do don’t put your ‘ead under; you know ‘ow foul that water is.”

Keeper Lewis pretended not to listen to ‘im. He took off ‘is clothes very slowly and then ‘e put one foot in and stood shivering, although Smith, who felt the water with his ‘and, said it was quite warm. Then Lewis put the other foot in and began to walk about careful, ‘arf-way up to ‘is knees.

“I can’t find it,” he ses, with ‘is teeth chattering.

“You ‘aven’t looked,” ses Mr. Cutts; “walk about more; you can’t expect to find it all at once. Try the middle.”

Lewis tried the middle, and ‘e stood there up to ‘is neck, feeling about with his foot and saying things out loud about Bob Pretty, and other things under ‘is breath about Mr. Cutts.

“Well, I’m going off ‘ome,” ses Bob Pretty, getting up. “I’m too tender-‘arted to stop and see a man drownded.”

“You stay ‘ere,” ses Mr. Cutts, catching ‘old of him.

“Wot for?” ses Bob; “you’ve got no right to keep me ‘ere.”

“Catch ‘old of ‘im, Joe,” ses Mr. Cutts, quick-like.

Smith caught ‘old of his other arm, and Lewis left off trying to find the sack to watch the struggle. Bob Pretty fought ‘ard, and once or twice ‘e nearly tumbled Mr. Cutts into the pond, but at last ‘e gave in and lay down panting and talking about ‘is loryer. Smith ‘eld him down on the ground while Mr. Cutts kept pointing out places with ‘is finger for Lewis to walk to. The last place ‘e pointed to wanted a much taller man, but it wasn’t found out till too late, and the fuss Keeper Lewis made when ‘e could speak agin was terrible.

“You’d better come out,” ses Mr. Cutts; “you ain’t doing no good. We know where they are and we’ll watch the pond till daylight—that is, unless Smith ‘ud like to ‘ave a try.”

“It’s pretty near daylight now, I think,” ses Smith.

Lewis came out and ran up and down to dry ‘imself, and finished off on ‘is pocket-‘andkerchief, and then with ‘is teeth chattering ‘e began to dress ‘imself. He got ‘is shirt on, and then ‘e stood turning over ‘is clothes as if ‘e was looking for something.

“Never mind about your stud now,” ses Mr. Cutts; “hurry up and dress.”

“Stud?” ses Lewis, very snappish. “I’m looking for my trowsis.”

“Your trowsis?” ses Smith, ‘elping ‘im look.

“I put all my clothes together,” ses Lewis, a’most shouting. “Where are they? I’m ‘arf perished with cold. Where are they?”

“He ‘ad ’em on this evening,” ses Bob Pretty, “‘cos I remember noticing ’em.”

“They must be somewhere about,” ses Mr. Cutts; “why don’t you use your eyes?”

He walked up and down, peering about, and as for Lewis he was ‘opping round ‘arf crazy.

“I wonder,” ses Bob Pretty, in a thoughtful voice, to Smith—”I wonder whether you or Mr. Cutts kicked ’em in the pond while you was struggling with me. Come to think of it, I seem to remember ‘earing a splash.”

“He’s done it, Mr. Cutts,” ses Smith; “never mind, it’ll go all the ‘arder with ‘im.”

“But I do mind,” ses Lewis, shouting. “I’ll be even with you for this, Bob Pretty. I’ll make you feel it. You wait till I’ve done with you. You’ll get a month extra for this, you see if you don’t.”