the planks.

"That is it, Hawkins. Do you get the other side and just keep her
floating as she is. We shall have help in a minute or two.

"Are you all right, George?"

"Yes, I am at her stern. Do you want assistance, sir?"

"No, we are all right, George."

A moment later a man came up beside the Major, and put his hand
heavily on his shoulder.

"You won last time, Mallett," he hissed in his ear. "It is my turn
now."

The man's weight was pressing him under water, and the boat gave a
lurch.

Frank loosed his hold of Bertha with the words, "Hold on, dear, for
a minute," and, turning, grappled with his enemy, at the same
moment grasping his right wrist as the arm was raised to strike him
with a knife.

In a moment both went below the water. They came up beyond the
stern, and Frank said:

"Take care of Bertha, George--Carthew--" and then went down again.

Furiously they struggled. They were well matched in strength, but
Frank felt that his antagonist was careless of his own life, for he
had wound his legs round him, and, unable to wrench his arm from
his grasp, was doing his utmost to prevent their coming to the
surface.

Suddenly, when he felt that he could no longer retain his breath,
he felt arms thrown round them both, and a moment later came to the
surface. Then he heard an exclamation of "Thank God!" An arm was
raised, and two blows struck rapidly.

Carthew's grasp relaxed, the knife dropped from his hand, and, as
Frank shook himself free, he sank under the water.

"Are you all right, Major?" his rescuer said.

"Yes," he gasped.

"Put your hand on my shoulder. The boat is not a length away."

A minute later Frank was beside Bertha again.

"Where have you been, Frank? I was frightened."

"One of the men grasped me," he said, "and I should have turned the
boat over if I had not let go. However, thanks to George Lechmere,
who came to my rescue, I have shaken him off.

"Ah! here is help."

Three or four boats from the yachts were indeed rowing up. The four
clinging to the gig were taken on board by one of them, while the
others picked up the men who were floating supported by their oars.

"Don't say a word about it, George," Frank whispered.

The Osprey was lying but two or three hundred yards away, and they
were soon alongside.

"This is not the sort of welcome I thought to give you on board,
dear," he said, as he helped Bertha on deck, and went down the
companion with her.

Anna bur