e boat was drawn right up to the last buoy, the hooks being
all cleaned and laid in place, and the line coiled in its basket, the
evening growing dark the while, and the lights twinkling on the shore,
when, all at once, as Josh was hauling in the little anchor, Will
happened to look up.

"Quick, Josh! oars! pull!"

Dick started and looked up, and as he did so it seemed as if a great
black cloud were coming to crush them down.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

HOW TO BALE OUT A BOAT WHEN SHE'S MUCH TOO FULL.

Accidents generally happen instantaneously; people are in safety one
moment, the next there is a sudden awakening to the fact that something
dreadful has happened. It was so here in the coming darkness of night.
Almost before the two lads had realised more than the fact that
something black was approaching there was a loud rushing noise, a crash,
and shock, as the boat was struck a tremendous blow on the side, whirled
round, sucked under water, and then all was blackness, choking,
strangling sensations, and a horrible sense of dread.

Dick, fresh from London, did not understand what was the matter. For
one moment he had an idea that the boat had been attacked by a monstrous
whale; the next moment that and every other idea was washed out of him
by the dark waters, which ran up his nose and thundered in his ears, as
they made him gasp for breath.

How long this lasted he could not tell, before he found himself on the
surface, confused and helpless, amidst a sheet of foaming, swirling
waters.

"Can you swim?" some one shouted in his ear.

"Ye-es--a--lit-tle," panted Dick.

"Steady then, steady, lad. Slow--slow--take in a reef. You'll drown
yourself like a pup if you beat the water that how."

Influenced by the stronger will and the stern order, Dick, who had been
striking out with all his might, calmed down and began to swim steadily,
but with a great dread seeming to paralyse his limbs, while Josh, who
was by him, shouted, "_Ahoy_!"

"Ahoy!" came faintly from a distance, in the direction where the black
cloud had resolved itself into the form of a great screw steamer with
star-like lights visible here and there.

"Here away, lad," shouted back Josh. "They haven't seen us," he added
to Dick.

"What--what was it?" panted Dick, who was swimming more steadily now.

"Big steamer--run us down--ain't seen us--no good to shout," cried Josh.
"Steady, lad, steady. We've got to swim ashore."

"Josh, ahoy! Where