, as I hauled it up, and handed
the end to Bob Hampton, who came in loaded.

"Make a loop, Bob, and help lower Miss Denning down."

"That I will, my dear lad," he said, shooting his load on one of the
lockers. "Don't you be skeart, but just you trust to me. That's your
sort," he cried, as he passed the rope round her, and knotted it. "Now
then, you'll just take a tight grip of the rope there with both hands,
and trust to me, just as if I was going to give you a swing."

"I'll trust you, Hampton," she said, with a quiet smile.

"That's right, miss; you'll be like a baby in my arms. Now, Barney,
boy, lay hold of the rope. Nay, you needn't, she's light as a feather.
Give way to me, my dear, just as if I was your father, and I'll lower
you right enough."

I could not help thinking how pretty and gentle and brave she looked as
she left herself in Bob's hands, while he knelt on the locker, lifted
her up, passed her out of the cabin-window, held for a moment or two by
the knot, and then gently lowered her down.

"Done lovely," said Bob. "Better let Neb Dumlow cast off the rope, Mr
Preddle, sir. You can hand the lady into the starn arter-wards. That's
your sort, sir," as he hauled up. "Why, some gals would ha' kicked and
squealed and made no end o' fuss. Want this for Mr Denning, shan't
us?"

"Yes," I said, and at that moment, supporting the poor fellow below the
arms, Mr Frewen and the mate helped Mr Denning into the cabin, panting
heavily even from that little exertion.

"I'll be--as quick--as I can," he sighed. "There is no hurry," said Mr
Brymer, quietly; "we have a wall of fire between us and our enemies."

"Go on heaving down that there prog, Barney," whispered Bob from behind
his hand. "I don't hold with running short out in a hopen boat."

Barney grunted, and while Bob passed the rope round Mr Denning so that
he could sit in the bight, and then made a hitch round his breast so as
to secure him in case his weak hold with his hands gave way, the sailor
kept various articles of food in tins flying down to Neb Dumlow, who
caught them deftly and stowed them rapidly forward in the bottom of the
boat.

The next minute Mr Denning was tenderly lifted by Bob Hampton and Mr
Frewen, and his legs were passed out from the window, the rope was
tightened, then he swung to and fro, and a minute later Dumlow had left
the catching and stowing to cast off the rope which was now left
hanging, so as to afford us a re