the feller
across to us, we'll dry him off, and land him somewhere above."

Jack eagerly took the proffered bills, and thrust them into the hand of
the man who had been so happily rescued.

"Here you are, and good luck to you," he said, cheerily. "Do you think
you can get aboard the tug now, my man?"

The other had gripped the several bank bills eagerly; but at the same
time a look of caution came into his eyes.

"Say, mister, can't you manage to drop me ashore somewhere below here?"
he asked, in a hoarse whisper.

"Well, it wouldn't be altogether convenient," replied Jack, hesitating;
and then as he saw the pilot of the tugboat watching them, with a grin
on his face, a sudden realization as to what the rescued man feared
broke in upon him.

"They might make me give it back again, ye see, after I got dried off,"
continued the poor fellow, who evidently had not held so much money in
his hand for many a long day.

"By George! that's so!" Nick was heard to exclaim; for the _Wireless_
had crept up, and now lay right alongside the _Tramp_.

Jack was quick to make a decision, and as a rule his first thought was
the right one, too.

"I'll land you myself!" he declared, sturdily; "it won't take much
time. And I guess a good deed done in the beginning of the voyage
ought to bring us luck to pull out of many a bad hole."

Then raising his voice and addressing the man at the wheel of the tug,
Jack continued:

"We'll set him ashore below, Captain. You see, he doesn't want to ride
up to the city; neither do you prefer to have him go. It's all right;
we'll say nothing of what we saw to anybody. So long, Captain!"

And without waiting for an answer Jack simply started his motor, upon
which the _Tramp_ shot away from the tug. Looking back, Jack saw the
two men conferring, but he felt sure they would allow things to rest.

"That negligence cost him twenty-five dollars, you see, Jimmy; and
perhaps he'll keep his eyes about him after this, when he's on the
move. It's lucky for him, as well as for our friend here, that a human
life was not snuffed out in the bargain."

"And do we head for the shore now, Jack?" queried the mate and cook.

"As soon as I find out which side the wrecked mariner wants to land
on," replied the skipper, turning to his passenger.

"Just suit yourself, sir," spoke up the man, into whose face the color
was once more beginning to creep, as he looked frequently at the wad of
greenbacks, whic