rescued, and
he too sank down helpless on the deck, half dead from exhaustion.

"That's one to me, Van," whispered Bob. "I saved that chap."

"Then you only half did it, Mr Howlett," said the doctor, who overheard
him. "Let me finish."

"I say," whispered Bob, "what a nuisance it's getting, you can't say a
word on board without somebody hearing. Hullo! what's the matter with
your head?"

"Old Staples was in a passion because you were so long, and hit me over
the head with his speaking trumpet."

"Get out--and we weren't so long as you were first time. Russell said
so. What was it? He wouldn't dare to hit you."

"But he did; swung round just when I was behind him."

"Serve you right for being behind him."

"What?" cried Mark, furiously.

"No, no, I mean serve him right for being before you."

"Less talking, young gentlemen," cried the officer of whom they were
speaking, and he looked round at them so sternly that they separated,
each hurrying to his post, and, glass in hand, watching the distant
schooner.

"Look here, Mr Russell," said the captain, walking up to that officer,
as, once more, they began to near the white-sailed vessel gliding along
in the brilliant moonlight. "If that scoundrel tries his cowardly
scheme again, I shall drop you to pick up the poor wretch, and keep on
as hard as we can, or we shall lose her. Save the poor fellow, and then
pull steadily after us. I think I can overhaul her in less than
half-an-hour, and then I shall heave to, and wait for you to come
aboard."

The second lieutenant saluted, and the captain went forward to watch the
schooner.

"Are you coming with me this time, Vandean?" said the lieutenant.

"Yes, I hope so, sir," said the lad.

"Hope, eh? Humph. You don't know what you are talking about, my lad."

"Please don't speak," said Mark, excitedly. "I've got it just right
now. Look sir, look, there's a regular fight going on aboard. They're
getting ready to pitch another man overboard."

The lieutenant raised the glass to his eyes, and immediately gave orders
to the crew to stand ready. Then, following the midshipman's example,
he fixed his glass upon the schooner, and watched her moonlit deck with
its busy dark figures, in the full expectation of seeing another heavy
splash.

But nothing more disturbed the surface of the water but the rush of the
swift schooner, in whose wake lay what looked like an arrow-head of
foam, as the lines diverged f