hought
upon his face. At length he spoke.

"Let somebody else have a turn," he said generously.

The voice of the antimacassar worker broke the silence.

"Paint him all over with stripes of different-coloured paint, and let
him pretend he's mad, and didn't know how he got here," he said, with
an uncontrollable ring of pride at the idea, which was very coldly
received, Private Smith being noticeably hard on it.

"I know," said Billy shrilly, clapping his hands. "I've got it, I 've
got it. After he's chucked his clothes overboard to-night, let him go
overboard too, with a line."

"And tow him the rest o' the way, and chuck biscuits to him, I suppose,"
snarled Dan.

"No," said the youthful genius scornfully; "pretend he's been upset from
a boat, and has been swimming about, and we heard him cry out for help
and rescued him."

"It's about the best way out of it," said Joe, after some deliberation;
"it's warm weather, and you won't take no harm, mate. Do it in my watch,
and I'll pull you out directly."

"Wouldn't it do if you just chucked a bucket of water over me and SAID
you'd pulled me out," suggested the victim. "The other thing seems a
downright LIE."

"No," said Billy authoritatively, "you've got to look half-drowned, and
swallow a lot of water, and your eyes be all bloodshot."

Everybody being eager for the adventure, except Private Smith,
the arrangements were at once concluded, and the approach of night
impatiently awaited. It was just before midnight when Smith, who
had forgotten for the time his troubles in sleep, was shaken into
wakefulness.

"Cold water, sir?" said Billy gleefully.

In no mood for frivolity, Private Smith rose and followed the youth on
deck. The air struck him as chill as he stood there; but, for all that,
it was with a sense of relief that he saw Her Majesty's uniform go over
the side and sink into the dark water.

"He don't look much with his padding off, does he?" said Billy, who had
been eyeing him critically.

"You go below," said Dan sharply.

"Garn," said Billy indignantly; "I want to see the fun as well as you
do. I thought of it."

"Fun?" said the old man severely. "Fun? To see a feller creature
suffering, and perhaps drowned--"

"I don't think I had better go," said the victim; "it seems rather
underhand."

"Yes, you will," said Joe. "Wind this line round an' round your arm, and
just swim about gently till I pull you in."

Sorely against his inclination Priva