to take a long inhalation and so
fill my lungs afresh with air; and it was well that I did so, for my
head had not been above water more than a few seconds before I was again
overwhelmed. I quite gave myself up for lost; for, as I have already
said, I was so completely enmeshed by the raffle of loose gear which had
wrapped itself about my body and limbs that I was quite powerless to
help myself. On emerging the second time, however, somebody seized me
by the hair, and in another moment I felt myself being drawn up by the
arms upon a spar.

"Blest if I don't believe this is Mr Lascelles that I've just been and
fished up," I heard Tom Collins say. "Ay, and it is too," he continued,
as he hoisted me still higher on the spar. "Lend a hand here, somebody,
to clear the young skipper; he's wrapped up in enough stuff to make a
new set of running gear for a seventy-four."

I opened my eyes, and found that I was with a number of others on the
wreck of the foremast, which, with all attached, had fortunately broken
adrift from the wreck as it foundered, and was now floating, with the
yards underneath it, just as it had originally gone over the bows.

"Is that Collins?" I asked, when I had at length recovered breath
enough to speak.

"Ay, ay, sir; it's me, safe enough, thank God!" was the answer. "Glad
to find as you're alive and hearty, sir."

"Thank you, Collins; how many do we muster here? there's such a net-work
of raffle across my face that I can scarcely see."

"Don't know exactly, sir; it's too dark to count, but we seem to muster
pretty strong, all things considered. We'll soon have you clear, sir.
Now then, Bill, you stand by to haul Mr Lascelles out of the thick of
these bights and turns whilst I holds 'em up. Now then--haul! Is that
better, sir?"

"Very much better, thank you," said I, as they dragged me out clear of
the thickest of the raffia. "If you are seated firmly enough for me to
put my arm round your neck I think I can work myself free altogether.
That's it, capital! Now, I'm all clear."

"Is that Mr Lascelles' voice I hear?" asked somebody who was clinging
to the topmast, some twenty feet away.

"It is," said I; "who are you?"

"I'm Tompion, sir," was the reply. "Very glad to find you among us, Mr
Lascelles. I was afraid you were among the missing at first."

"No, I am here, all right," said I, "and sound, I think, with the
exception of a few bruises. Are there any other officers among