When Gerald Desmond, surprised by the Arabs, was tumbled overboard, he
happily managed to get his head clear of the cloth which had been thrown
round it, and, striking out, he endeavoured to keep himself afloat,
though he had little hopes of saving his life. Though the night was
dark, he made out two or three objects floating near him. "Who's
there?" he shouted out.

"Is that you?" asked a voice which he knew to be that of Archie Gordon.
"Help me, Gerald, to get this thing off my head, or I shall be drowned.
Where are we? What has happened?"

A few strokes brought Gerald up to his messmate, and he quickly tore off
the cloth which the Arabs had bound round his head.

"Praise Heaven that you've escaped, young gentlemen!" exclaimed another
person, who proved to be Jerry Bird; "we've a long swim before us, but
we must try to keep afloat somehow."

While these remarks were being made, the dhow was gliding rapidly away,
leaving them astern. "I'm afraid it's more than mortals can do to swim
all that distance," said Desmond; "but hallo! what's that? a huge fish
coming to seize us?"

"No, sir," cried Jerry Bird, "it's the canoe. Someone has cut her
adrift, and we've a better chance for our lives than I thought for."

While they were speaking, a fourth head was seen, which Jerry hailed,
and found that it was that of the man who had been at the helm. Urging
him to keep up his spirits, the midshipmen and Jerry swam towards the
canoe. It was no easy matter to get in without capsizing her; but they
managed it, Desmond climbing over the bow and Jerry holding on to the
stern. As soon as the two were in, Archie followed Desmond, and then
Jerry himself got in. Their first impulse was to go to the assistance
of the man who was swimming some little way off; but what was their
disappointment on feeling about for the paddles to discover that none
were on board. They managed, however, with their hands to work up to
the poor fellow, who, being a bad swimmer, was almost exhausted, and on
the point of sinking. Jerry caught him by the collar just as he was
going down, and sang out to him to catch hold of the stern; but the
difficulty was to get him in without the greatest possible risk of
filling or capsizing the canoe, her gunwale being almost flush with the
water.

"You must manage, Sam, to get in of yourself," said Jerry at length;
"I'll go more for'ard. But take your time about it; there's nothing to
gain by being in a