k, reaching
the little dock as if in a dream.

Vince staggered as he stepped out on to the granite stones to make the
boat fast, and Mike was in little better condition; but by degrees the
suffocating sensation which oppressed them grew less painful, and they
slowly and laboriously carried oars, spars and sail up to their place of
stowage. Then Vince returned to the boat, thrust down his hand and drew
out his jersey, Mike taking hold of one end to help him wring it out.

They had neither of them spoken for some time; but at last Vince said:
"We shall have to pay old Joe for the mending of the boat."

"I say, Vince," said Mike, in a low, husky tone, "oughtn't we to be
thinking about something else? It was very near, wasn't it?"

"Yes," said Vince, with a passionate outburst, "I was thinking of
something else;" and he threw himself down upon a huge piece of
wave-worn granite and hid his face on his arm.

Half an hour later, the two lads walked slowly home, feeling as grave
and sober as a couple of old men, knowing as they did that, though the
evening sunshine had been full in their eyes, the shadow of death had
hovered very near.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

HAVING IT OUT WITH THE ENEMY.

The two boys were very quiet the next morning, on meeting, and their
tutor rubbed his hands with satisfaction twice in the course of their
lesson.

"Now, that is what I like," he said; "and how much happier you must feel
when you have given your minds thoroughly to the work we have in hand!"

That was the only time during the study hours that anything approaching
a smile appeared on Vince's face; but he did cock his eye in a peculiar
way at Mike, only to receive a frown in return.

At last the lessons were over, and the boys went out into the garden,
strolled into the small shrubbery and patch of woodland which helped to
shelter the house from the western gales, and then, marvellous to
relate, instead of running off to get rid of some of their pent-up
vitality, they sat down upon a prostrate tree-trunk, which had been left
for the purpose, and Vince began to rub his shins, bending up and down
in a peculiar seesaw fashion.

"I am stiff and tired this morning as can be," he said.

"Oh! I'm worse," said Mike. "I feel just as if I were going to be ill.
Haven't caught horrible colds through kneeling in the water so long,
have we?"

"Oh no; it's only being tired out from what we did. I say, feel
disposed to have another try t