te Smith took hold of the line, and,
hanging over the side of the schooner, felt the temperature with his
foot, and, slowly and tenderly, with many little gasps, committed his
body to the deep. Joe paid out the line and waited, letting out more
line, when the man in the water, who was getting anxious, started to
come in hand over hand.

"That'll do," said Dan at length.

"I think it will," said Joe, and, putting his hand to his mouth, gave a
mighty shout. It was answered almost directly by startled roars from the
cabin, and the skipper and mate came rushing hastily upon deck, to see
the crew, in their sleeping gear, forming an excited group round Joe,
and peering eagerly over the side.

"What's the matter?" demanded the skipper.

"Somebody in the water, sir," said Joe, relinquishing the wheel to one
of the other seamen, and hauling in the line. "I heard a cry from the
water and threw a line, and, by gum, I've hooked it!"

He hauled in, lustily aided by the skipper, until the long white body
of Private Smith, blanched with the cold, came bumping against the
schooner's side.

"It's a mermaid," said the mate, who was inclined to be superstitious,
as he peered doubtfully down at it. "Let it go, Joe."

"Haul it in, boys," said the skipper impatiently; and two of the men
clambered over the side and, stooping down, raised it from the water.

In the midst of a puddle, which he brought with him, Private Smith was
laid on the deck, and, waving his arms about, fought wildly for his
breath.

"Fetch one of them empties," said the skipper quickly, as he pointed to
some barrels ranged along the side.

The men rolled one over, and then aided the skipper in placing the long
fair form of their visitor across it, and to trundle it lustily up and
down the deck, his legs forming convenient handles for the energetic
operators.

"He's coming round," said the mate, checking them; "he's speaking. How
do you feel, my poor fellow?"

He put his ear down, but the action was unnecessary. Private Smith felt
bad, and, in the plainest English he could think of at the moment, said
so distinctly.

"He's swearing," said the mate. "He ought to be ashamed of himself."

"Yes," said the skipper austerely; "and him so near death too. How did
you get in the water?"

"Went for a--swim," panted Smith surlily.

"SWIM?" echoed the skipper. "Why, we're ten miles from land!"

"His mind's wandering, pore feller," interrupted Joe hurriedly. "What