covered from
a state nearly approaching actual death by submersion in the water,
describe the sensations of recovery to consciousness to be beyond
description, painful and terrible. Those who have for a moment
fainted from some sudden cause have partially realized this misery
in the anguish caused for an instant by the first breath that
accompanies returning consciousness.

All this proved too much for the young Circassian, and though
removed from the immediate cause of danger he fainted with
exhaustion. He who commanded the boat was also a young man, and
seemed at once to be uncommonly interested in the stranger whom he
had rescued from the sea. Neither he nor any of his men suspected
how the half drowned man had come there, and adopting such means as
his experience suggested, the officer of the boat soon again
restored Aphiz to a state of painful consciousness. Realizing the
kind efforts that were made for him, the young Circassian smiled
through the trembling features of his face in acknowledgement.

Signing to his men to give way with more speed, the officer soon
moored along side one of the Sultan's sloops-of-war, and in a few
moments after the half drowned man was placed in the best berth the
cabin afforded.

As to himself, Aphiz had only sufficient consciousness left to
realize that he had been most miraculously save from a watery grave,
but a bare thought of the suffering he had just passed through, was
almost too much for him. And leaving chance to decide his future
fate, he turned painfully in his cot and was soon lost in sleep.

When the young Circassian awoke on the following morning he was once
more quite himself, being thoroughly refreshed by the long hours he
had slept. He thought over the last few days which had been so
eventful to him, and wondered what fate was now in store for him.--Of
course the generous conduct of Captain Selim, the Sultan's officer,
who had rescued him from drowning, and then hospitably entertained
him, was the most spontaneous action of a noble heart towards a
fellow-being in distress, but if he should know by what means Aphiz
had come in the situation which he had found him, would not his
loyalty to the Sultan demand that he should at once render up the
escaped prisoner once more to the executioner's hands?

His true policy therefore seemed to be to keep his own secret, and
this he resolved to do, but he had reasoned without knowing the
character or feelings of him to whom