id Archy, as he lay with his head and chest over
the edge of the awful precipice, listening to the faint beat of the
waves, and involuntarily thinking of his adventure with Ram, "as soon as
Dick grips you, get tight hold of him too."

"Ay," came up in a hoarse whisper. "Please be quick. I feel as if I
was going."

"Now," said the master, "ready, lads? Steady! You, Dick, give the word
yourself to lower away."

"Ay, ay, sir; lower away." Then again, "Lower away! Lower away!"

The suspense in the darkness seemed strained to breaking point, and
Archy lay with his heart beating painfully, watching till it seemed as
if the case was hopeless, and that if Dick, now nearly off the cliff,
could grip hold of the fallen man, they would never be able to get him
and his burden back.

"'Nother inch," came up out of the void. "Touched him. 'Nother inch!"

At each order, given in a hoarse, smothered way, the men shuffled
themselves forward a little, and lowered Dick down.

"Just a shade more, my lads," came up.

"Can't!" said one of the men who held one of Dick's legs.

"Right. Got him," came up, as a thrill of horror ran along the chain at
that word _can't_. "Haul away!"

How that hauling up was managed the midshipman hardly knew, but he had
some consciousness of having joined in the efforts made, by seizing one
man of the human chain, and dimly seeing Gurr and two other men of the
group now gathered about them lend their aid. Then there was a
scuffling and dragging, a loud panting, and, with a few adjurations to
"hold on," and "haul," and "keep tight," Dick and the man he had been
lowered down to save were dragged into safety.

"Phew!" panted Dick. "Look here, Bob Harris--never no more, my lad,
never no more!"

"Bravely done, Dick," whispered Gurr.

"Thank ye, sir. But, never no more. I want to be a good mate to
everybody, but this here's a shade too much."

"And I'd take it kindly, Master Raystoke, sir," said the man the
midshipman had gripped, "if nex' time, sir, you wouldn't mind grappling
my clothes only. You're tidy strong now, and I can't `answer for my
flesh', if you take hold like that."

"Hush! No talking," said the master. "Dick, take the outside now, and
be careful. Form your line again. Bob Harris, take the far left."

"Well, Master Raystoke, sir," grumbled Dick, "I call that giving a
fellow a prize. Saves that chap, and here am I."

"Post of honour, Dick. Go slowly, and not too ne