Page:WW Jacobs--The lady of the barge.djvu/39
Captain Gibbs pushed her away. "He won't come round while you're a-kissing of him," he cried, roughly.
To his indignant surprise the drowned man opened one eye and winked acquiescence. The skipper dropped his arms by his side and stared at him stupidly.
"I saw his eyelid twitch," cried Mrs. Gibbs, joyfully.
"He's all right," said her indignant husband; "'e ain't born to be drowned, 'e ain't. I've spoilt a good suit of clothes for nothing."
To his wife's amazement, he actually walked away from the insensible man, and with a boathook reached for his hat, which was floating by. Mrs. Gibbs, still gazing in blank astonishment, caught a seraphic smile on the face of her brother as Miss Harris continued her ministrations, and in a pardonable fit of temper the overwrought woman gave him a box on the ear, which brought him round at once.
"Where am I?" he inquired, artlessly.
Mrs. Gibbs told him. She also told him her opinion of him, and without plagiarizing her