He had saved his life.  But had he really desired to?  The action had been instinctive merely:  and a moment before he had been speculating on the Rector’s death, assenting, almost hoping!  Had he translated that assent into deed—­had he been given time to obey the wicked whisper in his heart—­he would now be the blackest criminal under heaven.  God had interposed to save him from this:  but was he any the less a sinner in intent?

How had he come to harbour the thought?  For now again it was to him unthinkable as of old—­yet in his madness he had thought it.  There abode the memory, never to be escaped.  He looked down on the venerable face, the water-drops yet trickling from the brow, usually tinted with exposure to sun and wind but now pale as old ivory.  The old adoration, the old devotion surged back into Johnny’s heart, the tide rose to his eyes and overflowed.  “My master!” he groaned, “my master!” and a tear fell upon Mr. Wesley’s hand.

Whether or not this aroused him, the old man sat up at once and looked about him.  He showed no emotion at all.

“Where is the mare?” he asked.

One of the keelmen pointed down-stream, and the little party stared after her in silence until she staggered up the bank.

“All saved?” asked Mr. Wesley again.  “My friends, before you put me ashore, I will ask you to kneel with me and give thanks for God’s mercy to me a sinner.”  The men stared at him and at one another, not a little embarrassed.  But seeing the Rector and Johnny already on their knees in the grime, they pulled off their caps sheepishly and knelt:  and after a moment the frightened youngster in the bows followed suit.

“Almighty God, who aforetime didst uphold Thy great apostle in shipwreck and bring him safe to land, and hast now again interposed an arm to succour two of this company and me, the unworthiest of Paul’s successors; though our merits be as nothing in comparison with his, and as nothing the usefulness whereto Thou hast preserved us, we bless Thee that Thy mercy is high and absolute, respecting not persons; we thank Thee for giving back the imperfect lives Thou mightest in justice have brought to an end; and we entreat Thee for grace so to improve the gift as through it to receive more fitly the greater one of everlasting life, through Jesus Christ, our soul’s Saviour.  Amen.”.

He knelt for a minute, praying silently; then arose, dusted his knees and professed himself ready to be rowed ashore.  The keelmen slid their deck-boat overside, and presently all embarked and were tided back to shore, the boat taking ground about fifty yards above the bend where Bounce stood shivering, caked in mud to her withers.

The Rector thanked the keelmen in few words while Johnny ran to fetch the mare.  They were pulling back when he returned with her.  The elder lad invited Mr. Wesley to the ferryman’s cottage, to sit and dry his clothes:  but he declined.