r fellow's
instructions he went up to the pier, passed the rope round the nearest
post, and hauled steadily, while without rising to his feet the poor
fellow hitched himself, after a way he had learned, in a sitting
position by means of his hands, right on to the pier, where once landed
he rolled over with a groan, and fainted dead away.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

It was quite a minute before Tom Bodger opened his eyes again, to lie
staring blankly up at the dazzling blue sky. He looked, for a mahogany
and red sun-tanned individual, particularly unwholesome and strange with
his fixity of expression, and in his anxiety Aleck forbore to speak to
him, but watched for the complete return of his senses, wondering the
while that so sturdy a fellow could be affected in a way which he had
always understood was peculiar to women.

After staring straight upward for some little time the man began to
blink, as if the intense light troubled him. Then his eyes began to
roll slowly round, taking a wider and wider circle, till at last they
included Aleck in their field of view and remained fixed, staring at him
wonderingly.

Aleck's lips parted to ask the natural question, "How are you now?" But
before he could utter a word Tom frowned and said, severely:

"What are you up to, my lad?"

"It's what are you up to, Tom? Here, how are you now?"

"Quite well, thankye, Master Aleck. How are you? But, here," he cried,
changing his manner, "what does it all mean? Why, what--when--
wh-wh-what--ah, I know now, Master Aleck! I say, don't tell me the
boat's gone down!"

As he spoke he rose quickly into a sitting position and stared down
through the opening where the steps began, uttered a sigh of content,
and then said:

"I was afraid you hadn't made them knots fast."

"Oh, they're all right. But has your faintness gone off?"

"Yes, sir, that's gone."

"To think of a big sturdy fellow fainting dead away!"

"Ah, 'tis rum, sir, arn't it? All comes o' having no legs and feet. I
never knew what it was till I lost 'em, as I telled yer."

"Well, you're better now. But, I say, Tom, how did you manage to get
the boat full of water like this?"

"Oh, come, Master Aleck," cried Tom, indignantly. "I like that! How
come you to chuck that great lump o' paper down and make that great hole
in her bottom?"

"I do what?" cried Aleck. "Here, wait a bit and rest. You haven't
quite come to yet."

"Me, sir? I'm right as a trivet," c