f the hatch and
slipped the bolt into its socket. That accomplished, I went back to the
wheel much easier in mind, for I knew that the crew could not gain the
deck in any other way.

"During the night the wind died completely away, leaving the vessel
becalmed, and the sea subsided into long, easy swells. I dozed at
intervals, trusting to Nero to warn me of any new danger, and so
obtained some little rest. Just before daybreak, upon awakening from one
of these cat-naps, I became sensible that the ship was lifting in a very
sluggish way to the seas, and that her motion was new and strange.
Casting my eyes over the side, I was almost petrified to see that the
vessel had settled in the water almost to her deck-line, and was rapidly
sinking under my feet. At the same instant there came a violent pounding
forward from the inside of the booby-hatch and a chorus of wild and
agonizing yells.

"In a flash the heathenish trick was revealed to me. The Chinamen had
determined not to be cheated out of their revenge, so had bored holes in
the ship with an auger taken from the carpenter's chest. They had
expected to rush out on deck in time and escape in one of the boats,
probably leaving me to go down in my vessel, but found their way blocked
by the locked door of the hatch.

"However devilish their action had been, I could not let them drown like
rats in a trap, so I started forward to their release, and had just laid
my hand on the bolt when the deck blew up, owing to the confined air,
with a report like that of a cannon, and I was hurled into the sea.

"I quickly gained the surface, but was immediately drawn down again in
the suction of the sinking vessel, and when at last I once more found
myself on top of the water I was so far spent, strong swimmer though I
was, that I would have sunk helplessly, but Nero caught my collar and
held my head up until I recovered my breath and strength.

"Shortly after this some floating object bumped up against us, which to
my joy I discovered to be the large wooden chicken-coop that had rested
on the deck. I climbed on top of it, and pulled Nero up beside me, and
we drifted about on it until late that afternoon, when we were picked up
by a Chinese junk, and carried into port.

"And now, my boy," said Grandfather Sterling, in conclusion, "you have
the story of the time that I went to sea with a Chinese crew, and had
Nero for my first mate."

THORNTON'S USELESS STUDY.

BY W. J. HENDE