e other, the madman would summon up courage to make a sudden
attack.

The attack, however, was precipitated by Gaff inadvertently glancing
over his shoulder to observe how far the sun had yet to descend.

Instantly, with the leap of a panther, Graddy was upon him with both
hands grasping tightly at his throat. Down, down, he pressed him, until
Gaff lay on his back with his head over the gunwale. His strength now
availed him nothing, for unnatural energy nerved the madman's arm.

Billy sprang up and tried to disengage him from his grasp. As well
might the rabbit try to unlock the boa's deadly coil. Wrenching the
tiller from his father's grasp he hit the madman on the head with all
his might; but the poor boy's might was small. The blow seemed to have
no effect at all. Again and again he brought it down in an agony of
haste lest his father should be strangled before the other was felled.
At last he hit him with all his force behind the ear, and Graddy's grasp
relaxed as he fell prone on the body of his insensible victim.

To pull him off and haul his father into a more convenient position was
the work of a few seconds.

"O daddy, daddy, speak to me," he cried, loosening his father's
neckcloth and unbuttoning his shirt. "Oh, quick! get better before _he_
does," cried Billy wildly, as he shook his father and laved water on his
face; "oh! he'll get well first and kill you."

In order to do all that lay in his power to prevent this, Billy suddenly
sprang up, and, seizing the tiller, dealt the prostrate Graddy several
powerful blows on the head. It is not improbable that the frightened
boy would have settled the question of his recovery then and there had
not his father revived, and told him to stop.

For some minutes Gaff sat swaying about in a confused manner, but he was
roused to renewed action by seeing Graddy move.

"We must hold him now, Billy. Is there a bit of rope about?"

"Not a inch, you tied it all round the oars."

"It's awkward. However, here's my necktie. It an't strong, but it's
better than nothin'."

Gaff was about to take it off when Graddy recovered suddenly and
attempted to rise. The others sprang on him and held him down; but they
did so with difficulty, for he was still very strong.

All that night did they sit and hold him, while he raved and sang or
struggled as the humour seized him. They did not dare to relax their
hold for a moment; because, although he lay sometimes quite s