He felt sure that she would have walked out of the sick room and never reentered it had she guessed that the patient was the man whom , above all others , Lynde dreaded and feared . One afternoon when Alan went to Four Winds Emily met him at the door . `` He 's better , '' she announced . `` He had a good sleep this afternoon and when he woke he was quite himself . You 'd better go up and see him . I told him all I could but he wants to see you . Anthony and Lynde are away to Crosse Harbour . Go up and talk to him . '' Harmon turned his head as the minister approached and held out his hand with a smile . `` You 're the preacher , I reckon . They tell me you were the man who pulled me out of that hurly-burly . I was n't hardly worth saving but I 'm as grateful to you as if I was . '' `` I only -- did -- what any man would have done , '' said Alan , taking the offered hand . `` I do n't know about that . Anyhow , it 's not every man could have done it . I 'd been hanging in that rigging all day and most of the night before . There were five more of us but they dropped off . I knew it was no use to try to swim ashore alone -- the backwater would be too much for me . I must have been a lot of trouble . That old woman says I 've been raving for a week .
And , by the way I feel , I fancy I 'll be stretched out here another XXXXX before I 'll be able to use my pins .
Alan Anthony Emily Harbour Harmon Lynde afternoon before day week