ard," said Dan.

"You'll not be after calling me a big thief, Dan?" exclaimed Pompey,
getting angry at this insinuation against his honesty.

"No, but I'll back your tongue to wag faster than any man's in this
ship," replied Dan. "Come, bear a hand and get the water to boil, and
then we'll hang up these clothes to dry, for the stranger doesn't look
like a man who'll be content to lie in bed longer than he can help, and
he'll be wanting to get up to-morrow morning and show himself on deck."

"He may be a mighty fine gentleman," muttered Pompey, "but I never did
see much good come in hauling a man, whoever he was, out of de water."

"What's that you say, you old thief of the world?" exclaimed Dan.
"Whether good or bad comes of it, it was as brave a thing as you or I or
any man ever saw done, to leap on the raft as our mate did and manage to
bring the stranger on board. We've some stout fellows among us, but not
one would have dared to do that same. When the skipper hears of it
he'll be after praising him as he deserves; and there's some one else,
too, who'll not think the less of him than she does now. It won't be my
fault if I don't let the skipper know how it all happened--though maybe
the stranger won't forget to tell him--but as for the mate himself, he's
as likely as not to make light of it, and just to say that it's what any
other man would have done as well."

The opinion uttered by Dan was shared generally among the crew, with
whom Owen Massey stood deservedly high.

"Come, bear a hand, Pompey," continued Dan; "the watch will be out
before you get that fire to burn."

By dint of hard puffing Pompey succeeded in his object, and Dan went aft
with a kettle of hot water in one hand and a basin of soup in the other.
He then, having obtained the requisite amount of rum, repaired to the
mate's cabin, where he found the stranger on the point of dropping off
from exhaustion, and almost in a state of insensibility. The broth and
grog, however, quickly revived him. He uttered but few words of thanks,
and again falling back on his pillow, dropped off to sleep.

Gerald, who had witnessed Owen's gallant act, trembling lest he should
fail and lose his life, gave a shout of joy when he saw him successful
and safe again on board. Prompted by his feelings, he sprang towards
the mate, and grasping his hand, exclaimed, "Bravely done, Mr Massey!
Oh, how thankful I am that you got him on board! It did not seem
possible.