ied.

The mate went to his assistance. There was but little wind, and the task
was soon accomplished, and both men, after a hasty glance round, ran
below. The wet body of the sailor lay on a locker, and a pool of water
was on the cabin floor.

The mate hastily swabbed up the water, and then lit the fire and put on
the kettle; while the skipper stripped the sailor of his clothes, and
flinging some blankets in front of the fire placed him upon them.

For a long time they toiled in silence, in the faint hope that life
still remained in the apparently dead body.

"Poor devil!" said the skipper at length, and fell to rubbing again.

"I don't believe he's gone," said the mate, panting with his exertions.
"He don't feel like a dead man."

Ten minutes later the figure stirred slightly, and the men talked in
excited whispers as they worked. A faint sigh came from the lips of the
sailor, and his eyes partly opened.

"It's all right, matey," said the skipper; "you lie still; we'll do the
rest. Jem, get some coffee ready."

By the time it was prepared the partly drowned man was conscious that he
was alive, and stared in a dazed fashion at the man who was using him
so roughly. Conscious that his patient was improving rapidly, the latter
lifted him in his arms and placed him in his own bunk, and proffered
him some steaming hot coffee. He sipped a little, then lapsed into
unconsciousness again. The two men looked at each other blankly.

"Some of 'em goes like that." said the skipper. "I've seen it afore.
Just as you think they're pulling round they slip their cable."

"We must keep him warm," said the mate. "I don't see as we can do any
more."

"We'll get under way again," said the other; and pausing to heap some
more clothes over the sailor he went on deck, followed by the mate; and
in a short time the _Swallow_ was once more moving through the water.
Then the skipper, leaving the mate at the helm, went below.

Half an hour passed.

"Go and see what you can make of him," said the skipper as he
re-appeared and took the helm. "He keeps coming round a bit, and then
just drifts back. Seems like as if he can't hook on to life. Don't seem
to take no interest in it."

The mate obeyed in silence; and for the remainder of the day the two men
relieved each other at the bedside of the sailor. Towards evening,
as they were entering the river which runs up to Littleport, he made
decided progress under the skipper's ministrations;