'What do you mean?' he said; 'you know well enough I enjoy a walk in
the afternoon; besides, I shall not see much of you, and do not want
to lose what little time I have.'
About three, therefore, they started, and presently a girl met them,
who was introduced simply as 'Miss Masters.'
'We are going to your side of the water,' said the son; 'you may as
well cross with us.'
They came to a point where a boat was moored, and a man was in it.
There was no regular ferry, but on Sundays he earned a trifle by
taking people to the opposite meadow, and thus enabling them to vary
their return journey to the city. When they were about two-thirds of
the way over, Benjamin observed that if they stood up they could see
the Minster. They all three rose, and without an instant's warning--
they could not tell afterwards how it happened--the boat half
capsized, and they were in eight or nine feet of water. Baruch could
not swim and went down at once, but on coming up close to the gunwale
he caught at it and held fast. Looking round, he saw that Benjamin,
who could swim well, had made for Miss Masters, and, having caught
her by the back of the neck, was taking her ashore. The boatman, who
could also swim, called out to Baruch to hold on, gave the boat three
or four vigorous strokes from the stern, and Baruch felt the ground
under his feet. The boatman's little cottage was not far off, and,
when the party reached it, Benjamin earnestly desired Miss Masters to
take off her wet clothes and occupy the bed which was offered her.
He himself would run home--it was not half-a-mile--and, after having
changed, would go to her house and send her sister with what was
wanted. He was just off when it suddenly struck him that his father
might need some attention.
'Oh, father--' he began, but the boatman's wife interposed.
'He can't be left like that, and he can't go home; he'll catch his
death o' cold, and there isn't but one more bed in the house, and
that isn't quite fit to put a gentleman in. Howsomever, he must turn
in there, and my husband, he can go into the back-kitchen and rub
himself down. You won't do yourself no good, Mr Cohen,' addressing
the son, whom she knew, 'by going back; you'd better stay here and
get into bed with your father.'
In a few minutes the boatman would have gone on the errand, but
Benjamin could not lose the opportunity of sacrificing himself for
Miss Masters. He rushed off, and in three-quarters of an hour had
returned with the sister. Having learned, after anxious inquiry,
that Miss Masters, so far as could be discovered, had not caught a
chill, he went to his father.