e soon evident that if not already drowned he very
soon would be, when Solon, who had been earnestly watching what was
taking place, uttering a loud bark, plunged fearlessly into the waves,
and swam boldly out towards him. The next wave again set him in. Solon
with wonderful sagacity at that moment seized his arm, and directing his
course towards the shore, brought him within our reach before the force
of the wave had time to force him out again. Tom and I rushed in, and
grasping his clothes, ran with him with all our might up the beach, and
placed him beyond the power of the waves before the next rolled in on
us.

"Why, it is Dr Cuff!" exclaimed Tom.

So it was, indeed, but till that moment I had not observed the man's
features. Now, as I looked at his pallid countenance, with a blue tinge
over it, and saw that his eyes were closed and teeth clenched, I feared
that he was indeed gone. We took off his neckcloth, and I bethought me
of putting some of the hot white sand round his feet, and some on his
stomach, which I rubbed gently, while Tom brought some grass and leaves,
which we placed under his head. While we were thus employed Solon
dashed again into the water, and we saw that he had seized another
person who was clinging to an oar. We discovered a third also
struggling in the waves. We waited till Solon had brought the person of
whom he had now got hold within our reach, and then, leaving Dr Cuff
for a moment, we rushed down to his assistance. Solon, the moment he
had given him into our charge, darted off to the relief of the other
drowning men. We at once recognised the man he had now rescued as one
of the crew of the _Orion_. We dragged him up out of the reach of the
sea, and hurried back to resume our efforts to resuscitate Dr Cuff, for
the sailor, though unconscious, gave evident signs of life. While we
were rubbing away at the doctor's body, every now and then looking to
see if an eyelid moved, and feeling if his heart beat, we kept watching
Solon's proceedings. Wearied by his previous exertions, he swam out to
the struggling person, who was further off than the other two had been,
and, waiting till he had ceased to fling his arms about, he seized him
by the collar, and swam on towards the beach. The man seemed to float
much lighter than had either of the other two, and the cause of this we
discovered, when we got hold of him, to be owing to a life-buoy round
his waist. He would, however, notwit