"Yes," I said; "I'll risk it."
"Well, let's put it to him," said Tommy. "Look here, my friend, if
you're so cocksure I can't land you, what d'you say to my having a
shot at it?"
The duke glanced suspiciously round the circle.
"Wot do I get out of it?" he demanded.
"You get out of going to quod," replied Tommy. "Whatever happens,
we'll land you on the bank afterwards and let you clear off. That's
a bargain."
"And what's more," I put in, "I'll lay you a pound to nothing that
you don't break the line.
"Ye might make it a couple o' quid, guv'nor," observed his grace
pathetically. "It's worth that to 'ave a damn great salmon 'ook
shoved in yer."
There was a roar of laughter from all three of us.
"Well, he's a sportsman," I said, "whatever else he is." Then,
turning to the duke, I explained that the performance would not be of
quite such a realistic nature as he imagined. "We'll lend you a
belt," I said, "and fasten the line to that. Then all you'll have to
do will be to dive in and see if you can get clear."
He rose with some alacrity.
"Ho, if that's all, I'm bloomin' well on! It's a walk over,
guv'nor--that's wot it is, a ruddy walk over."
"He can have my belt," said Tommy, unstrapping the article in
question and tossing it across. "I'll go and get a salmon rod.
They're hanging up in the passage."
He stepped through the archway, and took down a rod from the row of
pegs, carrying it out through the side door into the garden, where we
all three joined him.
Both Mortimer and I felt hugely excited, but neither the duke nor
Tommy betrayed any special emotion.
"You'd better take your Sunday suit off," said the latter. "It'll
give you a better chance."
The duke shook his head.
"I'll just shift me boots," he announced. "The water won't 'urt
these 'ere duds."
"On the contrary," said Mortimer unkindly, "it ought to do 'em a bit
of good. But you'll find it devilish wet walking afterwards."
"They'll dry quick enough," replied the duke, "with this 'ere sun."
He sat down on the bank, and removed the decayed shreds of leather
that decorated his feet. Then with some care he fastened Tommy's
belt round his waist.
"How are you going to fix the line?" I inquired.
"That's simple enough," said Tommy. "There's a ring at the back, you
see. I'll take off the hook and fasten the gut to that."
He suited the action to the word, and in about five minutes the
operation was completed. Tommy tested his handiwork with two or
three stiff jerks, which the duke resisted by sitting peacefully on
the ground.
"Can he have the benefit of the stream?" I asked. "If so, this side
of the island is the best."
"Oh, yes," said Tommy. "I'll give you every chance. All I bargain
is that Mortimer stands by with a walking-stick. If I get him close
in enough to be touched, I've won the bet."
"Right you are," I agreed. "That's fair."
The duke got up and inspected the stream.
"You can choose your own place," said Tommy. "Only let's know when
you're going to dive."
"Hold on," I said suddenly. "I'd better bring the boat round. We
don't want the chap to drown, and if he gets loose in this stream,
he'll never fetch the island again."
I ran back to the steps, and getting into the dinghy, tugged her
round to where the others were standing. There I caught hold of a
branch and steadied myself against the bank.
"When you're ready," I called out.
With delightful coolness the duke sauntered to the edge, where the
river was deepest.
"All right, guv'nor?" he inquired, looking back over his shoulder at
Tommy.
The latter nodded, planting himself firmly on the grass, with his
legs well apart.
There was a short pause, and then suddenly the tattered figure on the
bank shot outwards and downwards, taking the water with a splash that
sent the spray flying in all directions. Tommy took a step forward,
and the line went screaming out like an angry wasp.
Tense with excitement, Mortimer and I stared at the spot where the
duke had disappeared. He came up some ten yards further on. The
line was still fastened to his back, but without a moment's
hesitation he set off down stream, swimming with a vigorous overhand
stroke that carried him along rapidly in the swift-running water.
He must have covered about twenty-five yards before Tommy made his
first attempt to check him. We saw the line tighten suddenly, and
the point of the rod bend double beneath the strain. The effect on
the duke was instantaneous. Ceasing to swim, he spun round in the
water, and lay on his back apparently as helpless as a floating log.
Very carefully Tommy began to wind him in. Nearer and nearer he
came, jerking along through the broken water, and making no attempt
to resist. For a moment I thought it was all over, and then, just as
Mortimer was creeping down the bank with the stick in his hand, there
came another sharp "whirr" from the reel, and away went the quarry
down the stream as vigorously as a freshrun salmon.
"Look out!" yelled Mortimer. "He's making for the rock!"
Away to the left a crest of grey stone reared itself above swirling
waters. Towards this the duke was swimming rapidly with the evident
intention of fouling the line.
Tommy saw the danger, and just at the right moment put on the check.
The duke halted abruptly, paused for a moment just where he was, then
suddenly rising high in the water, dived beneath the surface like a
dog-otter. There was a sharp snick, the rod jerked back with a swirl
of flying line, and Tommy sat down abruptly on the bank.
With a shout of triumph I grabbed my oars, and, shoving off the boat
from the bank, sped hastily to the rescue.
I was just in time. Exhausted apparently by his great effort, the
duke was drifting feebly down the current, devoting his remaining
energies to keeping his head above water. I grabbed him by the
collar, and, with a mighty haul, succeeded in lifting him up like
some enervated porpoise over the side of the dinghy. With a grunt he
collapsed on the seat, and putting all my strength into it, I tugged
our craft back to the island.
Tommy, who is a sportsman to the backbone, was standing on the bank
with a stiff whisky-and-soda, which he had secured from the bungalow.
"Here you are, Captain Webb," he said. "Get this down your neck, and
you'll feel better."
The duke took the glass and shifted its contents without a tremor.
"I'm all right, guv'nor," he said; "but you nearly 'ad me."
Tommy laughed and shook his head.
"Let's see where it broke," he said, turning his late quarry round so
as to examine the belt. "By Jove! Just about the ring, and as clean
as a whistle! Well, we'd better fix you up with a dry shirt before
you go. I've got one I can spare you."
"Thank ye, guv'nor," said the duke. "I could do with a shirt."
Tommy disappeared into the house, returning a moment later with the
garment and a bottle of whisky.
"Take this too," he said; "it'll keep the cold out."