Tristram took a couple of strides, and halted.

Then he faced about and walked back towards the dyke, his heart still knocking against his ribs.
"Help! help!" resounded from the depths of the dyke.
"Gentlemen," said Tristram, "are you aware that your comrade is perishing ?" They stared at him helplessly.

Without more to-do he slipped off his shoes, and sliding down the bank, flung himself forward into the icy water.

In two strokes he was able to grasp the drowning man by the collar and began to tug him towards the bank.
But it appeared that the fellow had other views on the right method of being saved: for, casting his arms about Tristram's neck and wreathing them tightly, he not only resisted all efforts to drag him ashore, but began to throttle his rescuer.

In the struggle both went under.
As the water closed over them the drowning man relaxed his hold a little, and Tristram, breaking free, rose to the surface coughing and spouting like a whale.