f
being lowered down like a bale or cask sounded too degrading.

"No, no!" he cried. "It's all right, sir; I can come down. Only
slipped," he added.

"Only slipped!" said the Norseman bitterly. "Didn't I tell you to be
careful, sir?"

"Yes; but I forgot."

"Lucky for you I was watching you."

"Can you come down?" cried the captain.

"Yes, sir, yes; it's all right"; and feeling more confident now, the boy
began to descend the shrouds steadily enough, gaining confidence at
every step till he reached the main-top, where he caught a rope, twisted
his legs round, slid down to the deck, and laughingly faced his friends.

"Steve, my lad," cried the doctor, "what a turn you gave me! I thought
you were gone."

"Yes," said Captain Marsham in a low tone; "and instead of laughing, my
boy, you ought to go down to the cabin and thank God for your narrow
escape. It was my fault, though, for encouraging you in your own
confidence."

"I'm very, very sorry, Mr Handscombe," whispered Steve, as the captain
walked away. "I didn't mean to treat it lightly, only to look as if I
were not a coward."

"Yes, yes, I understand, my lad," was the reply; "but it is a lesson to
you. I wouldn't go through those moments again for a thousand pounds.
Why, Steve, my lad, I saw, as if in a flash, a funeral at sea, our trip
at an end, and poor Captain Marsham going back feeling that he was to
blame for your death."

"Oh, I say, Mr Handscombe, don't talk like that!" whispered Steve.
"Was it really so bad?"

"Bad, sir! Why, what do you think you are made of--india-rubber? Did
you suppose that you would drop on to the deck and bounce up again, to
come down then on your feet and strike an attitude like a clown in a
pantomime? I haven't patience with you!"

"I'm very sorry, sir, really," said Steve again.

"Not half so sorry as we should have been," said the doctor testily.
"But there, I don't know; it would have been a good riddance. Boys are
more bother than they are worth, especially consequential and conceited
boys, like you are. Hullo! what are you putting your hand there for?
Not hurt?"

"I--I don't know," said Steve, pressing both hands to his side. "Yes, I
do; it hurts horribly."

"But you didn't fall."

"No; Johannes struck me there, and gripped the flesh. Feels as if he
had broken my ribs."

"How do you know, sir? You never had any ribs broken, did you?"

"No," replied Steve; "but it feels as one would suppose r