hail had electrified the men; but meanwhile the cry was repeated.

"It's some one from the island swimming down to us," said the
lieutenant. "Hold on, my lad," he cried, as the cry was repeated nearer
and nearer, and then just ahead.

"Quick, sir," cried Bob, "he's holding on by the hawser, whoever he is;"
and fully satisfied in his own mind that one of the soldiers had been
bathing, and had been swept down by the current, he called out to the
swimmer to hold on, but only to hear once more the one hoarse cry,
"Help!" and with it a gurgling noise where the bright stars were broken
up into a forked stream of tiny points.

So eager was he to cry out to the drowning man that help was coming,
that he missed the chance of going himself, but leaned over the bows as
the captain's gig, manned with a ready little crew, kissed the water,
was unhooked, and ran swiftly along the side; then the oars splashed,
and the little, light boat was rapidly rowed to where the great hawser
was made fast.

It was so dark that Bob could only dimly make out the round buoy,
towards which the gig passed over the water like a shadow.

"Can you see him?" cried the lieutenant, who was once more by Bob
Roberts' side.

"No, sir; there's no one here," said the bow-man.

"Help! help!" came in a hoarse whisper just then, exactly below where
the two officers leaned over; and they saw that a dark face, that had
risen to the surface, was being swept quickly along by the steamer's
side.

"Quick, my lads, here he is! Stern all!" cried the lieutenant; and the
light gig was backed rapidly in quest of the drowning man; while Bob ran
aft as hard as he could go, and climbed out into the mizzen chains, to
stare down into the swift current, holding on by one hand.

But he could see nothing, and he was beginning, with throbbing heart, to
believe that he was too late--that the wretched man had been swept away
before he climbed over, when he caught sight of something just below the
surface.

"Here, boat, quick!" he cried; and the bow-man struck his hook into the
side, and sent the gig flying through the water.

"Where, sir? where?" cried he in the hoarse voice of Dick.

"There, just below there; I saw him."

For answer Dick leaned over the gig's bows, and thrust down his
boat-hook.

"Give way, my lads," he cried, and again and again he thrust down his
hook. Then a strange, choking feeling of horror seemed to seize upon
the middy, and he felt dizzy as