on!
Miss Polson!"

He shook her roughly, but to no purpose, and then running to the door,
shouted eagerly for Susan. No reply forthcoming he ran to the window,
but there was nobody in sight, and he came back and stood in front of
the girl, wringing his huge hands helplessly. It was a great question
for a poor sailor-man. If he went for the doctor he deserted his post;
if he didn't go his charge might die. He made one more attempt to awaken
her, and, seizing a flower-glass, splashed her freely with cold water.
She did not even wince.

"It's no use fooling with it," murmured Tucker; "I must get the doctor,
that's all."

He quitted the room, and, dashing hastily downstairs, had already
opened the hall door when a thought struck him, and he came back again.
Chrissie was still asleep in the chair, and, with a smile at the clever
way in which he had solved a difficulty, he stooped down, and, raising
her in his strong arms, bore her from the room and downstairs. Then a
hitch occurred. The triumphant progress was marred by the behaviour of
the hall door, which, despite his efforts, refused to be opened, and,
encumbered by his fair burden, he could not for some time ascertain the
reason. Then, full of shame that so much deceit could exist in so
fair and frail a habitation, he discovered that Miss Polson's foot was
pressing firmly against it. Her eyes were still closed and her head
heavy, but the fact remained that one foot was acting in a manner that
was full of intelligence and guile, and when he took it away from the
door the other one took its place. By a sudden manoeuvre the wily Tucker
turned his back on the door, and opened it, and, at the same moment, a
hand came to life again and dealt him a stinging slap on the face.

"Idiot!" said the indignant Chrissie, slipping from his arms and
confronting him. "How dare you take such a liberty?"

The astonished boatswain felt his face, and regarded her open-mouthed.

"Don't you ever dare to speak to me again," said the offended maiden,
drawing herself up with irreproachable dignity. "I am disgusted with
your conduct. Most unbearable!"

"I was carrying you off to the doctor," said the boatswain. "How was I
to know you was only shamming?"

"SHAMMING?" said Chrissie, in tones of incredulous horror. "I was
asleep. I often go to sleep in the afternoon."

The boatswain made no reply, except to grin with great intelligence as
he followed his charge upstairs again. He grinned at