operations, Dick was stationed at the
weather fore clew-garnet, with three other hands. The men, having gone
to their stations, were waiting for the word of command when suddenly
the chain main-tack carried away, and the part attached to the sail,
acting like a whip, struck one of the men who was standing by to ease it
away, smashed the poor fellow's right arm above the elbow, shattered his
jaw, and laid open his right cheek from the turn of the jaw to the right
ear, which was all but torn away from the man's head; the force of the
blow also was such as to dash the unfortunate fellow against the
bulwarks so violently that he instantly fell to the deck senseless.

The accident, naturally, at once occasioned the utmost confusion, in the
midst of which the mainsail promptly threshed itself to rags, the mate
sprang down the poop ladder and rushed to the spot, yelling a whole
string of orders, to which nobody paid the slightest attention, and
Dick, with two or three others, abandoned their posts and ran to the
injured man's assistance.

"Back to your stations, you skowbanks," roared the mate. "What d'ye
mean by rushing about like a flock of frightened sheep? D'ye want to
see the ship dismasted? Here you, Dick, and Joe, pick him up and carry
him below to his bunk until the skipper can attend to him."

"I beg your pardon, sir," spoke Dick, "but I am afraid we may do the
poor fellow some further injury if we attempt to carry him below. I
understand that there is a spare bunk in the deckhouse where the
boatswain and carpenter are quartered. May we not take him in there?
And, if you will give me leave, I will attend to his hurts. I have
studied both medicine and surgery, and feel sure that I can do better
for him than anyone else, excepting, of course, a qualified surgeon."

"The dickens! You don't say so?" ejaculated the mate, staring at Dick
in amazement. "Very well, then, in that case you had better take charge
of him. And--yes, of course, take him into the deckhouse. Now, lads,
clew up that fore-course, and be lively with it; haul taut your clew-
garnets, ease up your tack and sheet; man your buntlines and leach-
lines; that's your sort, up with it; away aloft, some of you, and make a
good, snug furl of it!"

Quickly, yet with the utmost care, the injured seaman was lifted up and
carried into the deckhouse, where, in accordance with Dick's
instructions, he was laid upon the table, a mattress having first been