was half off, wasn't I, with my legs down?"

"Yes. In a horrible position."

"Yes, it wasn't nice. Oh, my head! But who--Why, you didn't go and get
the rope and come down and pull me on?"

Archy nodded.

"Is Jemmy here?"

"No."

"But did you climb up and get a rope, and come down again and haul me on
here?"

"Yes," said the midshipman.

Ram stared at him, holding his hand to the back of his head the while,
and a couple of minutes must have elapsed before he said,--

"Well, you are a rum chap!"

Archy grew red. Curious gratitude this seemed for saving the lad's
life.

"Didn't you know the door was open?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't yer run away?"

"How could I, and leave you to fall off that place?"

"Dunno. Wouldn't ha' been nice. Where did you get the rope?"

"From close to where I slept."

"Yes, there was a lot there. 'Tain't cut," he said, looking at the hand
he drew from the back of his head. "What a whop it did come down on the
rock!"

"Don't talk about it," said Archy, with a shiver.

"Why not? Father allus said I'd got the thickest head he ever see. I
say, though, you--did you--course you did. You climbed up again, and
went into the cave, got the rope come down again, and then got down here
to help me?"

"Yes."

"When you might have run away?"

"Of course."

"Thank ye. Shake hands!"

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

Ram sat there holding out his hand to the midshipman, but it was not
taken, and for a space they gazed into each other's eyes. The silence
was broken by Ram.

"Well," he said at last, "won't you shake hands?"

"An officer and a gentleman cannot shake hands with one like you,"
replied Archy coldly.

"Oh, can't he?" said Ram quietly. "You're a gentleman. Was it being a
gentleman made you come down and pull me on here."

"I don't know whether being a gentleman made me do it," said Archy
coldly. "I saw you would lose your life if I did not get a rope and
come to you, and so I did it."

"Yes; that's being a gentleman made you do that," said Ram thoughtfully.
"None of our fellows would have done that."

"I suppose not."

"I know I wouldn't."

"Yes, you would."

Ram looked the midshipman hard in the face again.

"You mean, if I'd seen you lying down here like I was, I should have
gone and fetched the rope and pulled you up?"

"Yes; I am sure you would."

Ram sat in his old position, with his hand to the back of his aching
head.

"But it's being a g