n the man left the wheel, the way of the schooner was to
some extent stopped, or Tom Fillot and Bannock would have been
hopelessly left behind, the slavers not having the slightest intention
of lowering a boat to pick up their enemies; but under the
circumstances, as the vessel rolled in the hollow with her sails
flapping and the great booms swaying to and fro, the men rose and swam
close under the stern, Dick Bannock getting hold of a ring-bolt, and
holding on in the darkness, while Tom Fillot swam with all his strength
to keep up.

"Can't lend you a hand, mate," growled Dick, "or I would. Take a grip
of me with your teeth--oh!"

Dick uttered a yell, so firmly had Tom Fillot followed out his
instructions, and there the pair hung as the wheel was seized once more,
and the schooner began to glide rapidly through the water.

"How long can you hold on?" cried Mark, whose hands were busy the while.

No answer came, but by this time he had reached up as high as he could,
and cut the line, at which the men on deck were jerking and tugging.
There was enough for his purpose, and rapidly making a loop, he threw it
down.

"Get an arm through that, Tom, and we'll haul you up," cried Mark. "Got
it!"

There was a peculiar sound from Tom Fillot, and then a cheery "All
right, sir," as the line tightened. For his first utterance had been
when his teeth were set fast in Dick Bannock's trousers and leg, the
second when he had quitted his hold.

With four in the cabin to haul, and Tom Fillot's activity to help, it
was not long before he was up and in at the window, getting the noose of
the line off his arm.

"Hold on, Dick," cried Mark, leaning out as far as he could.

"Can't, sir," came like a groan. "There's so little to hold on by."

"Here, quick! the line!" cried Mark, dragging it to him in loops, and,
leaning out, he dropped it right on to the man, who made a desperate
snatch at it, and twisted it round his wrist as the swift current seemed
to snatch him from his hold.

The lad's heart felt as if it had stopped in those brief moments when he
gazed down at the dimly-seen figure in the agitated water.

"Right!" came the next moment; and then the word, "Haul."

In another minute Dick lay panting on the cabin floor, breathless and
trembling, so that for a time he could not speak.

"Better now?" said Mark, sympathetically.

"Yes, sir," said the man, faintly. "I'm a-coming round, sir, but that
there was very near."