n it would have
been to continue their efforts, but Distin gave himself a jerk, and
fixed his eyes on Gilmore, who raised him by passing one hand beneath
his shoulders.

"Better?"

"Better? What do you mean? I haven't--Ah! How was it the boat upset?"

There was no reply, and Distin spoke again, in a singularly irritable
way.

"I said, how was it the boat upset? Did someone run into us?"

"You rowed right upon one of the old posts," replied Gilmore, and Distin
gazed at him fixedly, while Macey shrank back a little, and then looked
furtively from Vane to Gilmore, and back again at Distin, who fixed his
eyes upon him searchingly, but did not speak for some time.

"Here," he said at last; "give me your hand. I can't sit here in these
wet things."

"Can you stand?" said Gilmore, eagerly.

"Of course I can stand. Why shouldn't I? Because I'm wet? Oh!"

He clapped his hands to his head, and bowed down a little.

"Are you in pain?" asked Gilmore, with solicitude.

"Of course I am," snarled Distin; "any fool could see that. I must have
struck my head, I suppose."

"He doesn't suspect me," thought Macey, with a long-drawn breath full of
relief.

"Here, I'll try again," continued Distin. "Where's the boat? I want to
get back, and change these wet things. Oh! my head aches as if it would
split!"

Gilmore offered his hand again, and, forgetting everything in his desire
to help one in pain and distress, Vane ranged up on the other side, and
was about to take Distin's arm.

But the lad shrank from him fiercely.

"I can manage," he said. "I don't want to be hauled and pulled about
like a child. Now, Gil, steady. Let's get into the boat. I want to
lie down in the stern."

"Wait a minute or two; she's half full of water," cried Macey, who was
longing to do something helpful. "Come on, Vane."

The latter went to his help, and they drew the boat closer in.

"Oh, I say," whispered the lad, "isn't old Dis in a temper?"

"Yes; I've heard that people who have been nearly drowned are terribly
irritable when they come to," replied Vane, in the same tone. "Never
mind, we've saved his life."

"You did," said Macey.

"Nonsense; we all did."

"No; we two didn't dive down in the black pool, and fetch him up. Oh, I
say, Vane, what a day! If this is coming out for pleasure I'll stop at
home next time. Now then, together."

They pulled together, and by degrees lightened the boat of more and more
wate