h assistance as the circumstances would permit.

The gig, with Paul and Pelham on board, was darting through the current
towards the first cutter. It was too late to be of any service; but it
continued on its way, and the captain manifested his interest and
sympathy as well as he could. Mr. Hamblin pressed the water from his
hair, wiped his face with his wet handkerchief, and otherwise
endeavored to remove the effects of his involuntary bath. He seemed to
be, thus far, no worse for the disaster; but he directed Robinson to
return directly to the Josephine, for obvious reasons.

The two boats came alongside together; and this time the professor,
notwithstanding the discomfort of his condition, made no undue haste to
leave the cutter before she was properly secured.

"I am very sorry indeed for your misfortune, sir," said Paul, politely,
when he met Mr. Hamblin on deck.

"Perhaps you are!" replied he, rushing down the cabin stairs, bestowing
hardly a glance upon the sympathizing commander.

He went to his state-room, and made an entire change of his clothing.
The weather was warm, and he suffered no serious consequences.

"You are a very unfortunate person, Mr. Hamblin," said his associate
instructor, when the _savant_, clean and dry, emerged from the
state-room.

"It was done on purpose, Mr. Stoute," replied he, solemnly, with
compressed lips.

"O, no! It couldn't be!" protested the fat professor. "You are simply
unfortunate. First, a coil of rope falls on your head, and then you fall
overboard. You should be careful."

"Has that student been punished for throwing the rope upon me?"

"No, sir. I stood by during the investigation at the mainmast. It could
not be proved that the act was done on purpose; and, for my part, I did
not believe it was."

"I am very confident it was. I can read the expression on the faces of
the boys; and I am certain there is a conspiracy among them to knock out
my brains or drown me in the river."

"Boys will be boys, and they are very prone to look at the ludicrous
aspect of an accident," added the stout professor. "I should not give a
serious interpretation to any little signs of mirth I happened to see."

"Mr. Stoute, you allow yourself to be hoodwinked, deceived, overwhelmed,
by these artful boys. You should maintain more dignity in your
intercourse with them."

"There is a true and a false dignity, Mr. Hamblin. I shall endeavor to
avoid the one, and cling to the other," re