as we've just taken off the wreck," some
one informed him.

Lessingham stooped down. Willing hands helped him unfasten the cord from
Jimmy's waist. He tore off his own coat and waistcoat and boots. Some
helped, other sought to dissuade him, as he secured the line around his
own waist.

"We've sent for more rockets," one man shouted in his ear. "The man will
be back in half an hour."

Lessingham pushed them on one side. He stood on the edge of the beach
and, borrowing a lantern, watched for his opportunity. Then suddenly
he vanished. They looked after him. They could see nothing but the rope
slipping past their feet, inch by inch. Sometimes it was stationary,
sometimes it was drawn taut. The first great wave that came flung a yard
or so of slack amongst them. Then, after the roar of its breaking had
died away, they saw the rope suddenly tighten, and pass rapidly out, and
the excitement began to thicken.

"That 'un didn't get him, anyway," one of them muttered.

"He'll go through the next, with luck," another declared hopefully.

Lessingham, fighting for his consciousness, deafened and half stunned
by the roar of the waters about him, still felt the exhilaration of
that great struggle. He looked once into seas which seemed to touch the
clouds, drew himself stiff, and plunged into the depths of a mountain of
foaming waters, whose summit seemed to him like one of those grotesque
and nightmare-distorted efforts of the opium-eating brain. Then the roar
sounded all behind him, and he knew that he was through the breakers.
He swam to the side of the ship and clutched hold of a chain. It was Sir
Henry's out-stretched hand which pulled him on to the deck.

"My God, that was a swim!" the latter declared, as he pulled his rescuer
up, not in the least recognising him. "Let's have the end of that cord,
quick! So!" he went on, paying it out through his fingers until the end
of the rope appeared. "You'd better get your breath, young man, and then
over you go. I'll follow."

"I'm damned if I do!" was the vigorous reply. "You start off while I get
my breath."

They were suddenly half drowned with a shower of spray. Sir Henry held
Lessingham in a grip of iron, or he would have been swept overboard.

"Get one arm through the chains, man," he shouted. "My God!" he added,
peering through the gloom. "Lessingham!"

"Well, don't stop to worry about that," was the fierce reply. "Let's get
on with our job."

Sir Henry threw off hi