o a man in such a
position.

"You couldn't haul me in?" he whispered faintly.

"No," I said despairingly. "It is impossible."

"Impossible it is," he groaned. "Well, I shall have to face it."

"What do you mean, man?" whispered Mr Frewen.

"What we've all got to face, doctor. I couldn't swarm up that rope
again."

"Dale, could we get the rope round his waist, and hold him?" whispered
Mr Frewen.

"Here! hist! quick!" came through the opening where Mr Preddle was
listening all the time.

"Silence!" cried Mr Frewen, sternly. "What do you say, Hampton?"

"I says as if you takes the line from under my feet for half a moment
down I goes, for all the feeling's gone out of my arms. I'm done."

"No, no," I whispered in desperation. "Hold on, Bob; we must--we will
save you."

"Ay, lad," he said dolefully, "I'll hold on as long as I can; but if you
two are going to save me, you'll have to be very smart about it, I'm
afraid."

"Mr Frewen! Dale!" came from the opening.

"Silence, I say!" cried the doctor, fiercely.

"I won't be silent," cried Mr Preddle. "Here, Dale, take this; I've
pushed it through as far as I can reach. Give it him. Brandy."

"Ah!" ejaculated Mr Frewen. "Quick."

I had already reached out with the hand which I had taken from Hampton's
wrist, and was fishing about with it in the dark, but without a bite.

"Where is it?" I cried; but as I spoke my knuckles came in contact with
the leather-covered flask so sharply, that I knocked it out of Mr
Preddle's hand, and it fell with a bang on the floor, upon which the
spirit began to gurgle out.

Bob Hampton groaned, and I felt that all was over; but hanging on to the
rope I bent down, and guided by the sound seized the flask, gave it a
shake, which told me that there was yet a good deal inside, and the next
moment I was holding it to the poor fellow's lips, and listening to the
gurgling the spirit made as he gulped quite a couple of mouthfuls down.

I knew he had taken it all, for I had at last raised the flask quite
upright, and he drew his lips away.

"Now, Hampton," whispered Mr Frewen, "hold on for a little till the
spirit begins to stimulate you."

"It's begun a'ready, doctor," was the answer. "It's put new life into
me, sir, and I'm going to make a try for it directly."

"Not for a minute, man, not for a minute."

"In half a minute, sir, or it's of no good, for I'm a heavy man."

I tried to speak, but no words would come, f