— Hold up, lads, the fishing can wait, — Viktor declared, snatching his fishing net. — We’ve got to rescue the poor soul.

Alright, lads, the fishing can wait, Victor Whitaker announced, seizing the net that hung from the side of his skiff. Weve got a soul to save.

Victor steered his little motorboat across the glasslike surface of Lake Windermere, while his passengers holidaymakers from London cast their lines with eager grins. The day was splendid: a bright sun beamed down, a gentle breeze rippled the water, and the fish were biting like never before.

Whitaker, do you see that over there? one of the tourists shouted, pointing toward the faroff horizon.

The captain squinted, peering into the distance.

Looks like a bird No, wait, something odd.

As the boat drew nearer, all eyes widened. In the water, scarcely keeping its head above the surface, a drenched ginger cat thrashed desperately, its fur plastered to its skin, its breath shallow.

Good heavens! Victor muttered, shaking his head. How on earth did it end up here? The shore is a mile and a half away!

Perhaps it fell out of a rowboat? suggested one guest.

Or the current carried it, added another.

The cat let out a plaintive meow and flapped toward the skiff, but its strength waned with each futile stroke.

Alright, lads, the fishing will have to wait, Victor decided, hoisting the fishing net. We must rescue this poor thing.

Lifting the cat proved no simple task it scrambled, clawed, and twisted wildly. At last they coaxed it toward the net and hauled it aboard with great care.

The little fellow is utterly exhausted, Victor sighed, wrapping the trembling creature in his old oilskin jacket. How long has it been in that water?

The cat curled into a corner of the deck, eyes wide with fear, its fur sopping and its whiskers trembling.

What a handsome fellow, cooed the wife of one of the tourists, her voice soft. And he looks so young.

We ought to take him to a vet, Victor said, worry threading his tone. Who knows how much water hes swallowed.

The local veterinarian examined the cat and reassured the group.

Hes alive and well, though drained and frightened. Hes dehydrated, but with ten days of rest hell be as good as new.

Perhaps we should try to find an owner? Victor asked.

We could put an advert in the paper, but he looks like a stray. No collar, no tags.

Victor carried the cat back to his cottage, where his wife, Ethel, welcomed the unexpected guest with a warm smile.

Oh, look at you, you skinny thing! Well see to your feeding straight away.

For the first few days the cat hid beneath the settee, emerging only for meals. Gradually he began to explore his new home, and within a week he was purring contentedly as Ethel stroked his back.

You know, Victor said to his wife later, perhaps we should keep him. I doubt his owners will turn up.

Im not opposed, Ethel replied, her eyes bright. Ive longed for a kitten. What shall we call him?

Lucky, Victor answered at once. Not many manage to survive a tumble in open water.

Upon hearing his new name, the cat lifted his head and let out a vigorous meow, as if approving the choice.

A month passed, and Lucky had settled fully into the family. He greeted Victor at the doorway, lounged on Ethels lap, and would ever so politely beg for a scrap of fish from the kitchen. Still, he shied away from any bowl of water, approaching it with the utmost caution.

He must have a bit of a psychological scar, Ethel told the neighbours over tea. After such a fright its understandable.

Maybe its fate that brought him to us, mused their neighbour, Mabel, drifting straight into our lives.

Victor gave Lucky a gentle scratch behind the ear.

Perhaps it truly is destiny. Its lucky we set out fishing that day, or wed have missed this.

The ginger cat nuzzled Victors hand, purring deeply, as if to say, All will be well now. Im yours forever.

And Victor and Ethel, without a word, agreed.

Sometimes a timely act of kindness turns into the most unexpected joy. Sometimes rescue comes where you least expect it, and luck swims right to your side. The key is to seize the moment when someone or something needs you.

For it is in those fleeting instants that new, unlookedfor love slips into our lives, and though the start may be fraught, the strongest bonds often are forged in the toughest of times.