growl.

"What for?" pursued the sergeant, in triumph. "Be reasonable, Mr.
Turnbull. Where's the reason in pushing you overboard and then nearly
losing his life saving you? That would be a fool's trick. It was as
fine a thing as ever I saw."

"What you 'ad, Mr. Turnbull," said the stout fisherman, tapping him on
the arm, "was a little touch o' the sun."

"What felt to you like a push," said another man, "and over you went."

"As easy as easy," said a third.

"You're red in the face now," said the stout fisherman, regarding him
critically, "and your eyes are starting. You take my advice and get 'ome
and get to bed, and the first thing you'll do when you get your senses
back will be to go round and thank Mr. Blundell for all 'e's done for
you."

[Illustration: "You take my advice and get 'ome and get to bed."]

Mr. Turnbull looked at them, and the circle of intelligent faces grew
misty before his angry eyes. One man, ignoring his sodden condition,
recommended a wet handkerchief tied round his brow.

"I don't want any thanks, Mr. Turnbull," said Blundell, feebly, as he was
assisted to his feet. "I'd do as much for you again."

The stout fisherman patted him admiringly on the back, and Mr. Turnbull
felt like a prophet beholding a realised vision as the spectators
clustered round Mr. Blundell and followed their friends' example.
Tenderly but firmly they led the hero in triumph up the quay toward home,
shouting out eulogistic descriptions of his valour to curious neighbours
as they passed. Mr. Turnbull, churlishly keeping his distance in the
rear of the procession, received in grim silence the congratulations of
his friends.

The extraordinary hallucination caused by the sun-stroke lasted with him
for over a week, but at the end of that time his mind cleared and he saw
things in the same light as reasonable folk. Venia was the first to
congratulate him upon his recovery; but his extraordinary behaviour in
proposing to Miss Sippet the very day on which she herself became Mrs.
Blundell convinced her that his recovery was only partial.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Blundell's Improvement, by W.W. Jacobs

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLUNDELL'S IMPROVEMENT ***

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