"I wasn't thinking of such a thing," said Mr. Dix, hastily; "twenty
strokes is about my mark--with my clothes off. My idea was to pull you
out."

Mr. Heard glanced at the black water a dozen feet below. "How?" he
inquired, shortly.

"Not here," said the mate. "Come to the end of the quay where the ground
slopes to the water. It's shallow there, and you can tell her that you
jumped in off here. She won't know the difference."

With an enthusiasm which Mr. Heard made no attempt to share, he led the
way to the place indicated, and dilating upon its manifold advantages,
urged him to go in at once and get it over.

"You couldn't have a better night for it," he said, briskly. "Why, it
makes me feel like a dip myself _to_ look at it."

Mr. Heard gave a surly grunt, and after testing the temperature of the
water with his hand, slowly and reluctantly immersed one foot. Then,
with sudden resolution, he waded in and, ducking his head, stood up
gasping.

"Give yourself a good soaking while you're about it," said the delighted
mate.

Mr. Heard ducked again, and once more emerging stumbled towards the
bank.

"Pull me out," he cried, sharply.

Mr. Dix, smiling indulgently, extended his hands, which Mr. Heard seized
with the proverbial grasp of a drowning man.

"All right, take it easy, don't get excited," said the smiling mate,
"four foot of water won't hurt anyone. If--Here! Let go o' me, d'ye
hear? Let go! If you don't let go I'll punch your head."

"You couldn't save me against my will without coming in," said Mr.
Heard. "Now we can tell 'er you dived in off the quay and got me just as
I was sinking for the last time. You'll be a hero."

The mate's remarks about heroes were mercifully cut short. He was three
stone lighter than Mr. Heard, and standing on shelving ground. The
lat-ter's victory was so sudden that he over-balanced, and only a
commotion at the surface of the water showed where they had disappeared.
Mr. Heard was first up and out, but almost immediately the figure of the
mate, who had gone under with his mouth open, emerged from the water and
crawled ashore.

"You--wait--till I--get my breath back," he gasped.

"There's no ill-feeling, I 'ope?" said Mr. Heard, anxiously. "I'll tell
everybody of your bravery. Don't spoil everything for the sake of a
little temper."

Mr. Dix stood up and clinched his fists, but at the spectacle of the
dripping, forlorn figure before him his wrath vanished and he broke