; "right through from side
to side--what a narrow escape!"

"I--I thought he had killed you," I cried faintly, and a deathly
sensation made me feel for the moment as if I must fall.

"No, not a scratch," he said firmly now. "A little memento," he
muttered, as he took out his handkerchief and wrapped it round the blade
before thrusting the knife in his breast-pocket. "I must keep that for
my private museum, Herrick. Here, my lads, throw something over that
wretch. Sentry, I'll talk to you later on. You saved my life."

"Officer's orders, sir," said the man, looking uncomfortable and stiff
as he drew himself up.

"What, to save my life?" said Mr Reardon, smiling, and trying to look
as if everything had been part of the ordinary business of life.

"No, sir; to keep my eye on the Chinees. I had mine on that chap, for
he looked ugly at you, and I see him pull himself together, shuffle in
his blue jacket, and then make a jump at you, just like a cat at a rat."

"What?"

"Beg pardon, sir," said the man awkwardly; "I don't mean to say as you
looked like a rat."

"I hope not, my lad."

"I meant him jumping like a cat."

"Yes; and you saw him springing at me?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, what then?"

"Only bayonet practice, sir--point from guard, and he came right on it."

"Yes?"

"Then I held him down, sir."

I saw Mr Reardon shudder slightly.

"That will do, sentry," he said shortly. "I will see you another time.
Come, Mr Herrick."

I followed him on deck, and saw him take off his cap and wipe his
forehead, but he turned consciously to see if I was looking.

"Rather warm below," he said drily. "I'd better have kept to my first
answer to you, my lad. You see it's dangerous to go into a wild-beasts'
cage."

"Yes, sir, I'm very sorry," I said; then, anxiously, "But you are sure
you are not hurt, sir?"

"Tut, tut! I told you no, boy. There, there, I don't mean that. Not
even scratched, Mr Herrick. You can go to your messmates now with an
adventure to tell them," he added, smiling; "only don't dress it up into
a highly-coloured story, about how your superior officer relaxed the
strict rules of dishipline; do you hear?"

"Yes, sir, I hear," I said, and I left him going to join the captain,
while I went down and told Barkins what had been going on, but I had not
been talking to him five minutes before I heard a heavy splash as if
something had been thrown over the side.

"What's that?" said Barkin