"The little dear will soon be all right." "Thank God for His mercies!" the sergeant said, taking off his hat.
"What should I have done if I had lost her?
"And I have to thank you, next to God," he said, seizing the boy's hand.

"May God bless you, young gentleman! and reward you for having saved my darling.

They tell me she must have been drowned, but for you, for no one knew she had fallen in.

Had it not been for you, I should come round to look for her, and she would have been gone--gone forever!" and the showman dashed the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand.
"I was only just in time," the lad said.

"I did not see her fall out of the boat.