s the other boat was
pulled alongside of him. "Jest you take your scoop-net, and save dem
crabs."

"They won't drown," said Ford.

"But they'll get away," said Dab, as he snatched up the scoop. "Dick's
head is perfectly level on that point."

The side-boards of the old punt were under water half the time, but the
crabs were pretty well penned in. Even a couple of them, that had
mistaken Dick's wool for another sheep's-head, were secured without
difficulty, in spite of the firmness with which they clung to their
prize.

"What luck he'd been having!" said Ford.

"He always does," said Dab. "I say, Dick, how'll I scoop you in?"

"Has you done got all de crabs?"

"Every pinner of 'em."

"Den you jest wait a minute."

Waiting was all that was left them to do, for the shining black face and
woolly head disappeared almost instantly.

"He's sunk," exclaimed Ford.

"There he comes," replied Dab: "he'd swum ashore from here, and not half
try. Why, I could swim twice as far as that myself, and he can beat me."

"Could you? I couldn't."

That was the first time Dab had heard his city acquaintance make a
confession of inability, and he could see a more than usually thoughtful
expression on his face. The coolness and skill of Dick Lee, in his hour
of disaster, had not been thrown away upon him.

"If I had my clothes off," said Ford, "I believe I'd try that on."

"Dab Kinzer, you's de bes' feller dar is. But wot'll we do wid de old
boat?" burst out Dick, on coming to the surface.

"Let the tide carry her in while we're crabbing. She isn't worth
mending, but we'll tow her home."

"All right," said Dick, as he grasped the gunwale of Dab's boat, and
began to climb over.

"Hold on, Dick."

"I is a-holdin' on."

"I mean, wait a bit. Ain't you wet?"

"Of course I's wet."

"Well, then, you stay in there till you get dry It's well you didn't
have your new clothes on."

"Ain't I glad 'bout dem!" enthusiastically ex-claimed the young African.
"Nebber mind dese clo'es. De water on 'em's all good, dry water, like de
res' ob de bay."

And, so saying, Dick tumbled over in, with a spatter which made Ford
Foster tread on two of three crabs in getting away from it. It was not
the first time, by many, that Dick Lee had found himself bathing in that
bay without any time given him to undress.

And now it was discovered that the shipwrecked crabber had never for one
instant lost his hold of the line, to the other end of