e nodded, and calling to Joyce to take over the tiller sprang up on
to the deck ready to lower the sails. I cast off the painter, all but
one turn, and handing the end to Joyce, told her to let it go as soon
as I shouted. Then, pulling the dinghy right up against the side of
the boat, I waited my chance and dropped down into her.

I was just getting out the sculls, when a sudden shout from Tommy of
"There he is!" made me look hurriedly round. About twenty yards away a
man was splashing feebly in the water, making vain efforts to reach an
oar that was floating close beside him.

"Let her go, Joyce!" I yelled, and the next moment I was tugging
furiously across the intervening space with the loose tow rope
trailing behind me.

I was only just in time. Almost exactly as I reached the man he
suddenly gave up struggling, and with a faint gurgling sort of cry
disappeared beneath the water. I leaned out of the boat, and plunging
my arm in up to the shoulder, clutched him by the collar.

"No, you don't, Bertie," I said cheerfully. "Not this journey."

It's a ticklish business dragging a half-drowned man into a dinghy
without upsetting it, but by getting him down aft, I at last managed
to hoist him up over the gunwale. He came in like some great wet fish,
and I flopped him down in the stern sheets. Then with a deep breath I
sat down myself. I was feeling a bit pumped.

For a moment or two my "catch" lay where he was, blowing, gasping,
grunting, and spitting out mouthfuls of dirty water. He was a little
weazened man of middle age, with a short grizzled beard. Except for
a pair of fairly new sea-boots, he was dressed in old nondescript
clothes which could not have taken much harm even from the Thames mud.
Indeed, on the whole, I should think their recent immersion had done
them good.

"Well," I said encouragingly, "how do you feel?"

With a big effort he raised himself on his elbow. "Right enough,
guv'nor," he gasped, "right enough." Then, sinking back again, he
added feebly: "If you see them oars o' mine, you might pick 'em up."

There was a practical touch about this that rather appealed to me. I
sat up, and, looking round, discovered the _Betty_ about forty yards
away. Tommy had got the sails down and set the engine going, and he
was already turning her round to come back and pick us up. I waved my
hand to him--a greeting which he returned with a triumphant hail.

Standing up, I inspected the surrounding water for any