s I can," he said, feebly. "All the
strength has gone out of me."

"Let me help you," cried Macey; and he drew Vane into a sitting
position, but had to leave him and relieve Gilmore, whose arms were
failing fast.

Macey took his place, and began with renewed vigour at what seemed to be
a perfectly hopeless task, while Gilmore went to Vane.

"It's no good," muttered Macey, whose heart was full of remorse; and a
terrible feeling of despair came over him. "It's of no use, but I will
try and try till I drop. Oh, if I could only bring him to, I'd never
say an unkind word to him again!"

He threw himself into his task, working Distin's thin arms up and down
with all his might, listening intently the while for some faint
suggestion of breathing, but all in vain; the arms he held were cold and
dank, and the face upon which he looked down, seeing it in reverse, was
horribly ghastly and grotesque.

"I don't like him," continued Macey, to himself, as he toiled away; "I
never did like him, and I never shall, but I think I'd sooner it was me
lying here than him. And me the cause of it all."

"Poor old Distie!" he went on. "I suppose he couldn't help his temper.
It was his nature, and he came from a foreign country. How could I be
such a fool? Nearly drowned us all."

He bent over Distin at every pressure of the arms, close to the poor
fellow's side; and, as he hung over him, the great tears gathered in his
eyes, and, in a choking voice, he muttered aloud:--

"I didn't mean it, old chap. It was only to give you a ducking for
being so disagreeable; indeed, indeed, I wish it had been me."

"Oh, I say," cried a voice at his ear; "don't take on like that, old
fellow. We'll bring him round yet. Vane's getting all right fast."

"I can't help it, Gil, old chap," said Macey, in a husky whisper; "it is
so horrible to see him like this."

"But I tell you we shall bring him round. You're tired, and out of
heart. Let me take another turn."

"No, I'm not tired yet," said Macey, recovering himself, and speaking
more steadily. "I'll keep on. You feel his heart again."

He accommodated his movements to his companion's, and Gilmore kept his
hand on Distin's breast, but he withdrew it again without a word; and,
as Macey saw the despair and the hopeless look on the lad's face, his
own heart sank lower, and his arms felt as if all the power had gone.

But, with a jerk, he recommenced working Distin's arms up and down with