towards Blackfriars Bridge, where
we proposed to land, and take the coach at Charing Cross.

"I wonder how the tide is now," observed Mr Turnbull to me; "it would
be rather puzzling to find out."

"Not if I can find a hole," replied I, looking for one. "Stop, here is
one." I threw in a piece of ice, and found that it was strong ebb. We
continued our walk over the ice, which was now very rough, when Mr
Turnbull's hat fell off, and the wind catching it, it blew away,
skimming across the ice at a rapid rate. Mr Turnbull and I gave chase,
but could scarcely keep up with it, and, at all events, could not
overtake it. Many people on the river laughed as we passed, and watched
us in our chase. Mr Turnbull was the foremost, and, heedless in the
pursuit, did not observe a large surface of rotten ice before him;
neither did I, until all at once I heard it break and saw Mr Turnbull
fall in and disappear. Many people were close to us, and a rope was
laid across the spot to designate the danger. I did not hesitate--I
loved Mr Turnbull, and my love and my feelings of resentment were
equally potent. I seized the bight of the rope, twisted it round my
arm, and plunged in after, recollecting it was ebb tide: fortunate for
Mr Turnbull it was that he had accidentally put the question. I sank
under the ice, and pushed down the stream, and in a few seconds felt
myself grappled by him I sought, and at almost the same time, the rope
hauling in from above. As soon as they found there was resistance, they
knew that I, at least, was attached to it, and they hauled in quicker,
not, however, until I had lost my recollection. Still I clung to the
rope with the force of a drowning man, and Mr Turnbull did the same to
me, and we shortly made our appearance at the hole in which we had been
plunged. A ladder was thrown across, and two of the men of the Humane
Society came to our assistance, pulled us out, and laid us upon it.
They then drew back and hauled us on the ladder to a more secure
situation. We were both still senseless; but having been taken to a
public-house on the river-side, were put to bed, and medical advice
having been procured, were soon restored. The next morning we were able
to return in a chaise to Brentford, where our absence had created the
greatest alarm. Mr Turnbull spoke but little the whole time; but he
often pressed my hand, and when I requested him to drop me at Fulham,
that I might let Stapleton and his da