d
higher towards the foretop.

Sure of him now, the boys uttered a low cry of delight, and while two
made for the starboard shrouds to follow him, a couple more made for the
larboard, or port, as they call them now, while the rest gathered below.

"Take a turn round him with the halyards!" whispered one boy, from the
deck, "and then send him down to us."

Phil heard, and climbed on breathlessly, looking up the while at the top
and thinking that if his enemies followed him there he could climb
higher.

The fore top was reached, but this proved no sanctuary, and Phil had to
climb higher still, for one boy in particular, the most active and
daring of the party, followed fast and with such good effect, that to
Phil's horror just before he reached the top gallant cross-trees, his
pursuer was so close behind that he made a dash at his quarry's ankle,
and grasped it; and in his horror Phil made a spring which took him out
of his enemy's reach and proved disastrous.

For the boy had thrown so much energy into his action that as Phil's
ankle glided through his hand, he failed to clutch the ratline beneath,
swung round, and unable to get a fresh hold, began to fall from rope to
yard, to rope again, and then came heavily on the fore yard, which
partially broke his fall, but after a moment or two he came down heavily
upon the deck, making his companions there scatter and then make for the
forecastle hatch, while those aloft scuttled down as hard as they could.

As for Phil, white with horror, and feeling strongly that he was the
cause of the accident, he clung to the shrouds, looking wildly down for
a few moments, before seizing the halyards and sliding gradually down to
reach the fallen boy lying alone, and began to feel him all over in
silence, before his hand came in contact with the insensible lad's leg
in such a way that the little fellow uttered a shriek of horror which
brought the men of the watch to his side.

Phil turned sick as he stood there listening to what was said; but he
fought it back and walked with them as they raised the insensible boy
from the deck and bore him to the cockpit, where the surgeon was soon
busy setting and bandaging, and talking sourly the while in his
ill-humour at being roused from his morning's sleep.

His words consisted of scoldings and questionings.

"You young dog," he said to Phil, who was the only boy allowed to be
present. "Skylarking in the rigging before breakfast! What cou