He was filled with consternation, because he knew from his reading that boys who went sailing on Sunday invariably got drowned.

So he ran out on a raft to warn them, but a log turned with him and slid him into the river.

A man got him out pretty soon, and the doctor pumped the water out of him, and gave him a fresh start with his bellows, but he caught cold and lay sick abed nine weeks.
But the most unaccountable thing about it was that the bad boys in the boat had a good time all day, and then reached home alive and well in the most surprising manner.

Jacob Blivens said there was nothing like these things in the books.

He was perfectly dumfounded.
When he got well he was a little discouraged, but he resolved to keep on trying anyhow.