Part 7 (2/2)

The boat was floating with its gunwale level with the water, and the two men had only to press the side a bit and literally roll in, to squat down and begin baling; for, to the great delight of all, it was found that the locker in the boas unopened, though full of water, and a couple of tin balers were fished out fro with all their an to make the water fly out in showers

Meanwhile the oars were collected and thrust down into the boat beneath the thwarts, along with the hitcher, and the rest of the little crew held on by the gunwale outside

For a time this seemed to remain level with the surface, but the two balers toiled so hard that in a short time the lieutenant turned to Mark, and said shortly--”In with you”

The lad looked at him in wonder, but junior officers have to obey, and he crept in over the side, and getting right aft, began to scoop out the water with his joined hands

A quarter of an hour later a fresh order was given, and two ot into the boat to seat themselves and take the balers, while the pair who had been acting prepared to get out again and hang on

But a short, sharp order checked them

”There is no need,out water as soon as you are a bit rested The boat will hold you now”

He was quite right, for, though the presence of four unwale once ain as, pint by pint, the interior was relieved, until another man crept in, and soon after another, till the whole creere back, and the lieutenant got in last

Ten , whilst two others seized their oars, under the lieutenant's direction, and getting the boat's head round as they sat there with the water still well up over their ankles, they began to pull steadily in the direction of the _Nautilus_, now nearly invisible in the distant silvery haze

They were still so heavily water-logged that progress was very slow, but this was no discouragement, for their position improved minute by minute, and the men were so much cheered that they put plenty of spirit into their work

But before they had taken ave the order to stop, and Mark shuddered as he saw the reason Mr Russell had turned to the rudder-lines, and there was a terrible burden towing astern

Those were solened to the coxswain to come, and then helped hiunwale, and, as decently as was possible, laid the rewas then taken froe coincidence, and very faintly heard, caun

The coxswain then went forward and helped with the baling, while thein silence

”The lads will think all this unnecessary, Vandean,” said the lieutenant in a low voice, as Mark sat by his side; ”but it would be horribly un-English to leave the poor wretch floating at the h, poor fellow, before we shaded hi What would you have done?”

”As you have, sir,” replied the lad ”I couldn't have left hih it seems very horrible to have taken hiht”

”All fanciful sentiment, Van, my lad What is there in that poor fello to excite our fear? Come, you must be more manly than that Cold?”

”Yes; very, now”

”So as are not comfortable We'll take to the oars and row for a bit to keep off the chill Why, Vandean, you ought to be well praised for this night's work I feel quite ashaest a way out of our difficulty with the capsized boat”

”Oh, it was nothing, sir It just occurred to me,” replied Mark

”I wish it had just occurred to me, my lad; and what istowards us with the slave schooner astern, but there is no such good fortune in store for us tillvery low in the botto the coxswain aft to steer, the lieutenant took the oar of To stroke, sent him forward, and then made Mark take the oar of the next ether for the next half hour, Mr Russell telling the coxswain how to steer, so as to keep steadily in the wake of the _Nautilus_, which had now for long enough been out of sight

The long row thoroughly circulated Mark's blood, driving away all the feeling of chill, so that it ith a pleasant glowing sensation that the lad took his place once more in the stern-sheets to sit beside the lieutenant, and with hin of the shi+p

”She may send up a rocket,silence, during which the boat had risen and fallen with the swell, and felt beating with a living pulsation as the men toiled steadily on at their oars