Part 49 (1/2)
Pannell told me afterwards that he had to carry me all along the narrow stone ledge to the window of his smithy, and thrust me through there before climbing in after me, for it was impossible to get into the yard the other way without a boat.
I must have fainted, I suppose, for when I opened my eyes again, though it was in darkness, the icy water was not round me, but I was lying on the warm ashes down in one of the stoke-holes; and the faint glow of the half-extinct fire was s.h.i.+ning upon the s.h.i.+ny brown forehead of the big smith.
”Pannell!” I exclaimed, ”where am I?”
”Get out!” he growled. ”Just as if yow didn' know.”
”Did you save me?”
”'Sh, will yo'!” he whispered. ”How do we know who's a-watching an'
listening? Yow want to get me k.n.o.b-sticked, that's what yow want.”
”No, no,” I said, s.h.i.+vering.
”Yow know where we are, o' course. Down in the big stokul; but be quiet. Don't shout.”
”How did you know I was in there?”
”What, in yonder?”
”Yes, of course; oh how my arms ache and throb!”
”Let me give 'em a roob, my lad,” he said; and strongly, but not unkindly, he rubbed and seemed to knead my arms, especially the muscles above my elbows, talking softly in a gruff murmur all the while.
”I did give you a wink, lad,” he said, ”for I know'd that some'at was on the way. I didn' know what, nor that it was so bad as that theer. Lor'
how can chaps do it! Yow might hev been drowned.”
”Yes,” I said with a s.h.i.+ver. ”The cowards!”
”Eh! Don't speak aloud, lad. How did you get in? Some un push thee?”
”Push me! No; the platform was broken loose, and a trap set for me, baited with a wheel-band,” I added angrily.
Pannell burst into a laugh, and then checked himself.
”I weer not laughing at yow, lad,” he whispered, ”but at owd Gentles.
So yow got in trap too?”
”Trapped! Yes; the cowardly wretches!”
”Ay, 'twere cowardly. Lucky I came. Couldn't feel bottom, eh?”
”No.”
”Nay, yow wouldn't; there's seven foot o' watter there, wi'out mood.”
”How did you know I was there?”
”What! Didn' I tell ye?”