ce with both hands, with the
life-line running loosely between his arms to act as a guide, he once
more plunged into the sea, the weight seeming to take him down with
tremendous force.

One instant the ponderous lead struck the water, the next there was a
confused foam on the surface, and Will was gone.

The moments that followed seemed prolonged to hours. There was an
indistinct movement visible in the disturbed water; the bubbles of air
seemed to be lashing up more fiercely as the life-line was drawn rapidly
through the hands that held it, and then, once more, Will's head
appeared, and he swam towards the ladder.

He could not speak, but made a sign with one hand.

"Haul!" cried Josh; "haul away!" as he reached out, caught Will's arm,
and drew him to the ladder; holding him up, for he was utterly
exhausted, and could hardly get his breath.

And there they stayed while the line was hauled up, and the diver once
more appeared above the surface; the poor fellow being hoisted on deck
and his helmet rapidly unfastened and removed.

The men looked helplessly from one to the other as they lifted their
eyes from the blackened countenance that one of the lighter's men was
supporting on his arm. No one seemed to know what would be best to do,
and a couple were ordered into the boat to row ashore for the doctor.

"Why don't you take off them gashly things?" cried Josh, who had now
helped Will to the deck, where he stood holding on by a stay, trembling
in every limb.

Two men immediately began to take off the heavy india-rubber diving
suit, with its copper collar and heavy leaden-soled boots, with the
result that when the poor fellow was freed from these encumbrances and
once more laid upon the dock, the lifting and moving he had received
proved so far beneficial that he uttered a low sigh, and the purple
tinge began to die out from his face.

"He's a coming to!" said the skipper eagerly; and his words proved to be
right, for at the end of half an hour the poor fellow had recovered
consciousness, and was able to say that his life-line had become hitched
round a mass of rock, to which was attached some very long grown strands
of sea-weed, and these had been swept by the water right over the line.
Then when he had tried to free it his hands only came in contact with
the loose slimy wrack, and after a trial or two he had become confused
and excited.

"And you know I've allus told you as a diver should be as cool as a