ng his friend:
he threw off neither shoes nor jacket; there was no time for that.
Arden came to the surface, and stretching out his arms towards him
shrieked out, "Save me, save me! O my mother!" Ernest struck out
bravely through the water towards him, while the little cutter flew on;
it seemed leaving them far behind: such was not the case, however. Old
Hobbs giving a look behind his shoulder to see where they were, put down
the helm, that he might put the vessel about as rapidly as possible, and
heave-to, while Ellis could jump into the punt to their rescue.

Ernest had no time to consider what was to be done; his first aim was to
get hold of Arden and to keep his head above water. The poor lad,
unaccustomed to the water, quickly lost all presence of mind, and was
striking out wildly and clutching at the air. Ernest saw the danger
there would be in approaching him, and therefore, instead of swimming
directly for him, took a circuit and then darted rapidly at him from
behind. Grasping him by the collar, by a strong turn of his arm he
threw him on his back, and then he held him while he himself trod water,
and assisted himself to float with his left hand.

"Don't be alarmed, now, Arden, my dear fellow; keep your arms quiet and
you will float easily," he exclaimed. "There, just look up at the sky;
now you find that your face is perfectly out of the water; never mind if
your head sinks a little; steady, so, all right, old fellow."

With words to give confidence and encouragement, Ernest tried to calm
poor Arden's fears; yet he himself turned many an anxious glance towards
the yacht.

The instant Ellis had heard Arden's cry and saw Ernest in the water, he
leaped up and hauled the punt, towing astern, up alongside.

"Wait, sir, wait till we are about," said Hobbs; "you'll be nearer to
them then, and on the same side they are."

Ellis saw this, and as the cutter came round he jumped into the punt and
shoved off. Ernest saw his friend coming. He began to feel more
anxious than before. The punt was small, and he was afraid, should
Arden struggle, she also might be capsized. He therefore urged Arden to
remain perfectly quiet, while Ellis hauled him in. The moment Ellis
reached them he threw in his oars, and wisely leaning over the bows,
caught hold of Arden's collar and lifted him partly out of the water,
while Ernest swam round to the stern and climbed in over it. He now was
able to come to Ellis's assistanc