I know that you can keep yourself afloat, at any
rate if you get capsized, from what I learnt of your experiences the
other day at Spithead; and, perhaps, Mr Jellaby may find you of use.
Jump in, my boy."

It is hardly necessary to say how promptly I obeyed the order.

As my dear old Dad would have expressed it, "Sharp was the word and
quick the action."

All the cutter's passengers, however, were not yet aboard.

"Hold on, there!" cried Captain Farmer, as the falls were slackened off
and the boat slowly lowered down into the heaving water alongside, the
waves coming half-way up the counter to meet her. "I think the doctor
had better go with you, Mr Jellaby. There may be some poor fellow on
the wreck in need of immediate medical aid; and it will be a great
saving of time, indeed, it may be the means of saving a life, if it be
on the spot instead of your having to send back to the ship for it.
Sentry, pass the word below for Dr Nettleby."

We did not have to wait long; for, almost as soon as the captain's
message could have reached the main deck, the doctor made his appearance
on the poop, accompanied by my old friend, Corporal Macan, carrying a
surgical case and a roll of bandages, while the neck of a
suspicious-looking flask could be also seen peeping out from one of his
pockets.

In another minute or so, Dr Nettleby and his factotum managed to slide
down by the aid of the after life-line into the sternsheets of the boat;
though, they took their seats in a rather hurried fashion beside the
lieutenant and myself.

Then, watching our opportunity to lower away, we managed so to time it
that the cutter lighted on the crest of one of the rollers.

This took us some yards away from the ship's side with the following
swell of the sea; when our oars were dropped into the water at the word
of command and we made for the wreck.

It was a stiff piece of work reaching her, for wind and waves were both
against us and rowing difficult; the cutter at one moment being on the
top of a mountainous billow and the next plunged deep down into a
yawning valley of green water, the broken ridges of which curled over
our gunwales on either hand, threatening to overwhelm us till we, rose
again beyond their clutch.

But, the men "putting their backs into it," and the coxswain steering
judiciously so as to prevent the boat from broaching to, we finally got
alongside the battered hulk.

We boarded her under the forechains to leewa