the smooth, heaving sea.

Mark had done nothing but hold on to the keel and try to direct the men,
as they swam here and there, giving a longing glance, though, from time
to time at the distant _Nautilus_, whose white sails gleamed in the
moonlight. Now, as the crew resumed their places, and tried to keep the
oars and boathook alongside the keel, he turned to the lieutenant.

"What are you going to do about--about that?" he whispered.

"Get the poor creature on board--if we can," was the reply; and the
young midshipman could not help shuddering. "It is what we were sent to
do, Vandean," continued the officer, "and we must do our duty. Now, my
lads," he cried, "all of you over here, and let's right the boat."

The men opposite swam round, and, the oars being left floating, an
effort was made to drag the boat over, all hanging on the keel. But, in
spite of effort after effort, she refused to right, and Mr Russell gave
the word to rest for a few minutes, and collect the floating oars, which
were getting scattered once more.

This being done, Mark turned to his officer, and said in a low
voice,--"You want the coxswain to help?"

"I do, my lad," replied the lieutenant, but he stopped short and looked
at his young companion.

"I will not mind," said Mark. "I'll try and hold the poor fellow up,
and set Joe Dance free."

Without waiting to be ordered, Mark drew a deep breath, edged himself
right astern to where the coxswain held on to the keel with one hand and
grasped the black's wrist with the other.

"Go and take my place," he said; and making an effort over self, he
searched for and found one of the little fenders suspended from the
boat's side, took a firm hold, and then stretched out his right hand to
grasp the black's wrist.

"Mean it, sir?" said the man.

"Yes," replied Mark, huskily. "Go and help."

The next minute the lad hung there in the water, with his face kept
toward the boat, and his hand retaining that which he could not muster
up sufficient courage to turn and gaze at, as it lay calm and stern,
looking upward toward the peaceful moonlit skies.

Then began a sturdy effort to right the boat, and Mark's position grew
irksome in the extreme, for at every struggle to drag the keel down
toward them, the midshipman was drawn lower, and he felt that if his
companions in misfortune succeeded in righting the boat, he would have
to let go and try to keep himself afloat for a time.

But in spite of