e to hold on, but I could get up no farther. I tried, though,
to drag Mercer on to the woodwork, but my position crippled me, and I
should have required double the muscular power I possessed.

I believe I made other trials, but a curious sensation of weakness and
confusion was coming over me, as I uttered one after the other my loud
cries for help.

It was horrible, and yet it seemed ridiculous that we two lads could not
struggle up there into safety; but though I thought so then, I have
often felt since that in my cramped position I was loaded down, as it
were, with my companion's weight.

The end seemed to be coming fast. I had no dread for myself, since I
felt that, once free of Mercer's tight clutch and the hold I had upon
him, I could grasp the far edge of the woodwork, draw myself farther up,
and sit and rest. But before I could do this I knew that he would have
sunk away from me, and in a confused fashion I began to wonder whether I
should hear him scream out as he was drowning, or whether he would sink
down gently without a sound.

I shouted again, but my voice sounded weak, and as if it did not
penetrate the trees which closed us in, and now it seemed to be all
over, for the horrible sense of faintness was returning fast, and I made
one more desperate effort before I felt that I too was going to sink
back into the black water; and in that wild last fit of energy I uttered
what was quite a shriek, and then felt half choked by the spasm of joy
that seemed to rise into my throat.

For from quite close at hand there came quite a cheery,--

"Hillo!"

"Here--quick--help!" I gasped; and then I was silent, and hearing a
loud ejaculation, as I felt the wood of the penstock tremble.

"All right. Hold tight, lad," said a familiar voice, and a hand grasped
my collar. "I've got you, and I've got him too. Here, can you climb
out?"

"If--if you can hold him," I said.

"I can hold him, and give you a help too. That's the way--get tight
hold of the edge, draw yourself up. Well done. Now sit down, and put
your arm round the post."

I had been conscious of a strong hand grasping my waistband and giving
me a drag up, and now I was sitting trembling and holding tightly by the
post.

"Now then, Master Mercer, don't stare like that, lad. I've got you
safe. There, out you come. My word, you're wet! Stop a moment,
though; you'd better try and get ashore before I pull him right out.
There ain't room for thr