"'I am very glad of it,' said I.
"'You have shown wonderful bravery."
"'Oh no,' I answered. 'I know how to swim, and I wasn't going to see
you drown before my eyes.'
"'I shall never cease to be grateful to you.'
"'Oh, don't think of it,' said I.
"'But I must think of it,' he answered. 'But for you I should now be
a senseless corpse lying in the bottom of the river,' and he
shuddered.
"'Mr. Clayton,' said I, 'let me advise you to get home as soon as
possible, or you will catch your death of cold.'
"'So will you,' he said. 'You must come with me.'
"He insisted, so I went, and was handsomely treated, you may depend.
Mr. Clayton gave me a new suit of clothes, and the next morning he
took me to Tiffany's--that's the best jeweller in New York--and
bought me this diamond ring. He first offered me money, but I felt
delicate about taking money for such a service, and told him so. So
he bought me this ring."
"Well, I declare!" ejaculated Aunt Deborah.
"That was an adventure. But it seems to me, Ferdinand, I would have
taken the money."
"As to that, aunt, I can sell this ring, if ever I get hard up, but I
hope I sha'n't be obliged to."
"You certainly behaved very well, Ferdinand. Do you ever see Mr.
Clayton now?"
"Sometimes, but I don't seek his society, for fear he would think I
wanted to get something more out of him.
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