you, Tom Bodger?"

"Bodger it is, Master Aleck. Here, quick, or I shall have both my hands
off as well as my legs, and you'll have to put me out of my misery
then."

"Why, Tom," cried Aleck, wildly. "What ever--oh!"

The lad wasted no more breath, for he grasped the position as soon as he
reached the head of the steps.

"Can you hold on a minute?"

"I can't, sir, but my fists will," groaned the man, and then in a hoarse
whisper--"Rope!"

"I see," cried Aleck, and he ran back a dozen yards along the pier to
where he could see a coil of small rope for throwing aboard vessels in
rough weather to bring back their looped cables and pass them over the
posts.

He was back again directly, uncoiling it as he came and leaving it
trailing, while, end in hand, he reached the top of the steps, went down
to where the poor fellow hung on, and shouting out words of
encouragement the while, he passed a hand down, got hold of the loose
painter below Bodger's, and with the quick deft fingers of one used to
the sea and the handling of lines he effected a quick firm knotting of
the two ropes.

This done, he made for the next ring hanging from the harbour wall,
passed the fresh rope through, and hauled in all the slack.

"Now, Tom," he cried, "both together--ahoy--ahoy!"

He threw all his strength into the hauling, aided by the man-o'-war's
man's last remaining force; no little either, for despair gave the poor
fellow a spasmodic kind of power, so that the rope passed through the
ring and whizzed and quivered, it was so tight. Then another stay was
found and a hitch taken twice round that before Aleck fastened off, and,
panting heavily, went up a step or two to the assistance of his humble
friend.

"You can let go now, Tom. I have her fast."

"Sure, Master Aleck?"

"Yes, certain. Let go; and mind what you're about, or you'll slip
overboard."

"It's all right, sir," said the man, in a hoarse whisper. "I've let go
now."

"Nonsense! What are you thinking about? You've got hold tight as
ever."

"Nay, I arn't, Master Aleck. I let go when you telled me. I'm on'y
leaning agen the rope to keep from going down into the water."

"Why, Tom, what's the matter with you?" cried Aleck, wonderingly, as he
placed his hands on his companion's. "I tell you that you're holding on
as tight as ever."

"Eh?" said the man, feebly. "No, sir, I arn't; 'strue as goodness I
arn't."

"But you are," cried Aleck, angrily, as he now