you were both gone! Thank God, you saved him!"

But I could not tell him then, or after, how I contrived to catch `Ugly'
when he let go his hold; and to this very day, though it is pretty
nearly six years or more agone, and many things have happened since even
stranger, too, I put down the spontaneous act that prompted me to
stretch out my hand in the nick of time and grip him by his waistbelt
before it was too late, to the interposition of Providence--an
intervention, indeed, not only on his behalf, but on my own, as
subsequent events proved, though I will speak of this when the proper
time comes.

The instructor, even in his hurry aloft to our assistance, had managed
to snatch up on the way a coil of half-inch; and with this he now
proceeded, breathing heavily the while from his exertions, to secure
`Ugly' temporarily to the ratlines until a whip could be rigged for
sending down the still insensible fellow to the deck below.

This was a great relief to me, for it was as much as I could do to
support his body, although, as I've said, I pressed him against the
rigging, the chap weighing over ten stone at least, I should think, as
he was a thickset yokel and inclined to be corpulent.

It all happened in a moment, though I seem to take so long telling about
it; for, almost before the instructor could take a double turn with his
half-inch round `Ugly's' body and the rigging, half-a-dozen seamen, who
had been hailed by the officer of the watch, the grey-haired gunner, had
footed it up the ratlines and were in the top fixing a whip and
purchase, to which one of the hammocks had been attached.

In this impromptu cradle `Ugly' was let down very carefully and taken to
the sick-bay, where, as I was afterwards told, Mr Trimmens the sick-
berth steward being my informant, it required the application of the
galvanic battery to bring him to, the fright he had undergone, and
consequent shock to his system, having been so great!

"You saved his life, though, my lad, let me tell you," said the
instructor to me, when we had followed the rescued boy down, and were
again on the safe footing of the deck. "Why, Tom Bowling, that chap
ought to be your friend for life after this."

I could not help shrugging my shoulders, with a grin `on the left side
of my mouth,' as sailors say; for, of course, I could not very well
explain matters anent our recent fight.

The instructor looked at me inquiringly; and, seeing he expected some
sor