it wasn't my place to jump in
after him. He could swim a bit, and I yelled to him to hold up and I'd
tell the captain. Confounded captain wasn't to be found though.
Somebody said he was asleep. In the end I told the mate. By this time
we were a mile away from the place where he went overboard, and I told
the mate I didn't think we could find him if we went back. But he
lowered some boats and they put back fast. Afterwards I got to thinking
about the matter. Of course if I had known him--if he had been one of
you--it would have been different."

"And you were the best swimmer in college, you miserable rat," exploded
Dr. Lotless.

There was a wild rush for the upper deck, and Vanderpool was not the
hero of the hour. The "Flitter" had turned and was steaming back over
her course. Two small boats were racing to the place where Reggy's
unknown had gone over.

"Where is Brewster?" shouted Joe Bragdon.

"I can't find him, sir," answered the first mate.

"He ought to know of this," cried Mr. Valentine.

"There! By the eternal, they are picking somebody up over yonder,"
exclaimed the mate. "See! that first boat has laid to and they are
dragging--yes, sir, he's saved!"

A cheer went up on board and the men in the small boats waved their
caps in response. Everybody rushed to the rail as the "Flitter" drew up
to the boats, and there was intense excitement on board. A gasp of
amazement went up from every one.

Monty Brewster, drenched but smiling, sat in one of the boats, and
leaning limply against him, his head on his chest, was the sailor who
had fallen overboard. Brewster had seen the man in the water and,
instead of wondering what his antecedents were, leaped to his
assistance. When the boat reached him his unconscious burden was a dead
weight and his own strength was almost gone. Another minute or two and
both would have gone to the bottom.

As they hauled Monty over the side he shivered for an instant, grasped
the first little hand that sought his so frantically, and then turned
to look upon the half-dead sailor.

"Find out the boy's name, Mr. Abertz, and see that he has the best of
care. Just before he fainted out there he murmured something about his
mother. He wasn't thinking of himself even then, you see. And
Bragdon"--this in a lower voice--"will you see that his wages are
properly increased? Hello, Peggy! Look out, you'll get wet to the skin
if you do that."

CHAPTER XX

LE ROI S'AMUSE

If Mon