'Th-thank you,' he said. 'They told us Penzance was the next stop.'

"'Hey?' says I.

"'They told us,' he says again, plaintive-like, feelin' for his
spectacles an' not finding 'em, 'that Penzance was the next stop.'

"'Bound for Penzance, was you?' I asks.

"'For the Land's End,' says he, his teeth chatterin'. I set it down
the man had a stammer, but 'twas only the shock an' the chill of his
duckin'.

"'Well,' says I, 'this ain't the Land's End, though I dessay it feels
a bit like it. Then you wasn' _thrown_ out?' I says.

"'Th-thrown out?' says he. 'N-no. They told us Penzance was the
next stop.'

"'Then,' says I, 'if you got out accidental you've had a most
providential escape, an' me an' my mates don't deserve less than to
hear about it. There's bound to be inquiries after you when the
guard finds your compartment empty an' the door open. May be the
train'll put back; more likely they'll send a search-party; but
anyways you're all wet through, an' the best thing for health is to
off wi' your clothes an' dry 'em, this warm afternoon.'

"'I dessay,' says he, 'you'll have noticed that our eyesight is
affected.'