ike a boat bottom
upwards."

"Eh? Look again. What do you make it to be, my lad?"

This to one of the Norwegian sailors, who placed a hand over his eyes,
and took a long look to the south.

"Well, what do you make of it?"

"Small whale, I should say, sir. But if it be," he said, after a short
pause, "she's lying asleep in the sunshine."

"My glass," said the captain; and it was quickly fetched from the cabin,
adjusted, and he took a long look in the direction pointed out.

"Yes; a small whale or a great grampus basking. Well done, look-out in
the crow's-nest! Better come down now, my lad."

These words sent the blood coursing to the lad's cheeks, and he began to
descend quickly, thinking now that after all it was a risky position for
any one high up there above the deck, and that the sooner he was safely
down the better he would like it. Then he took two more steps, and was
in the act of taking another when the foot he lowered touched nothing,
and he started so violently that the other foot glided from the smooth
bar of wood, and he dropped with a jerk to the full extent of his arms,
giving his hands such a sharp snatch that he felt them giving way just
as he was hanging suspended over seventy feet above the deck. Then they
gave way, for, lately as it had been uttered, he had forgotten the
Norseman's carefully given warning.

CHAPTER FOUR.

IN THE DOCTOR'S HANDS.

A cry rose from the deck, and Steve Young in that brief moment felt that
all was over, and that he was struck a violent blow in the ribs. Next
moment he swung against the starboard shrouds to which he clung, feeling
sick and giddy with pain, but awaking to the fact that the big Norwegian
sailor had gripped his jacket on the right side and taken up a little
fold of flesh as well. The pain was keen for a few moments, but partly
ceased as the man thrust his other hand, by which he had held on between
the ratlines, and took a good hold of his waistband.

"Now, then, can you get round this side?"

For answer Steve worked himself from the inner to the outer slope of the
shrouds just below the cross-bars, and then thrust his legs through and
held on, waiting for the fluttering nervous sensation which had attacked
him to pass off.

"Ahoy, there!" came from the deck in the captain's stern tones. "I'll
send up a line; make it fast round his chest, and lower him down."

These words sent the blood flushing to the boy's cheeks, for the idea o