'My dear, dear Charley,' she said, 'what am I to say to thank you ?' It was the first time Mrs.Woodward had ever called him by his Christian name.

It had hitherto made him in a certain degree unhappy that she never did so, and now the sound was very pleasant to him.
'Oh, Mrs.Woodward,' said he, laughing, 'you mustn't touch me, for I'm all mud.' 'My dear, dear Charley, what can I say to you?
and dear Harry, I fear we've spoilt your beautiful new boat.' 'I fear we've spoilt Katie's beautiful new hat,' said Norman.
Mrs.Woodward had taken and pressed a hand of each of them, in spite of Charley's protestations about the mud.
'Oh! you're in a dreadful state,' said she; 'you had better take something at once; you'll catch your death of cold.' 'I'd better take myself off to the inn,' said Charley, 'and get some clean clothes; that's all I want.

But how is Katie--and how is Linda ?' And so, after a multitude of such inquiries on both sides, and of all manner of affectionate greetings, Charley went off to make himself dry, preparatory to the reading of the manuscript.
During his absence, Linda and Katie came down to the drawing-room.
Linda was full of fun as to her journey with the bargeman; but Katie was a little paler than usual, and somewhat more serious and quiet than she was wont to be.
Norman was the first in the drawing-room, and received the thanks of the ladies for his prowess in assisting them; and Charley was not slow to follow him, for he was never very long at his toilet.
He came in with a jaunty laughing air, as though nothing particular had happened, and as if he had not a care in the world.

And yet while he had been dressing he had been thinking almost more than ever of Norah Geraghty.

O that she, and Mrs.
Davis with her, and Jabesh M'Ruen with both of them, could be buried ten fathom deep out of his sight, and out of his mind! When he entered the room, Katie felt her heart beat so strongly that she hardly knew how to thank him for saving her life.