my uncle's strange reception of me, for had I not gone down into the
country I should never have quarrelled with him, and if I had not
quarrelled with him I should not have gone back to the inn in such a
dudgeon, and in that case I should probably have left the place without
a visit to the bar, never have seen the advertisement, visited
Bournemouth, hired the yacht or--but there, I must stop. You must work
out the rest for yourself when you have heard my story.

The morning after my third return to Bournemouth I was up by daybreak,
and had my breakfast, and was ready to set off on a cruise across the
bay, before the sun was a hand's breadth above the horizon. It was as
perfect a morning as any man could wish to see. A faint breeze just
blurred the surface of the water, tiny waves danced in the sunshine, and
my barkie nodded to them as if she were anxious to be off. The town
ashore lay very quiet and peaceful, and so still was the air that the
cries of a few white gulls could be heard quite distinctly, though they
were half a mile or more away. Having hove anchor, we tacked slowly
across the bay, passed the pier-head, and steered for Old Harry Rock and
Swanage Bay. My crew was for'ard, and I had possession of the tiller.

As we went about between Canford Cliffs and Alum Chine, something moving
in the water ahead of me attracted my attention. We were too far off to
make out exactly what it might be, and it was not until five minutes
later, when we were close abreast of it, that I discovered it to be a
bather. The foolish fellow had ventured farther out than was prudent,
had struck a strong current, and was now being washed swiftly out to
sea. But for the splashing he made to show his whereabouts, I should in
all probability not have seen him, and in that case his fate would have
been sealed. As it was, when we came up with him he was quite exhausted.

Heaving my craft to, I leapt into the dinghy, and pulled towards him,
but before I could reach the spot he had sunk. At first I thought he was
gone for good and all, but in a few seconds he rose again. Then,
grabbing him by the hair, I passed an arm under each of his, and dragged
him unconscious into the boat. In less than three minutes we were
alongside the yacht again, and with my crew's assistance I got him
aboard. Fortunately a day or two before I had had the forethought to
purchase some brandy for use in case of need, and my Thursday Island
experiences having taught me