This blow roused him into action, and, realising in a flash that he had knocked his head against some portion of the boat, he struck out strongly, and the next moment was gazing around at the agitated water, and then made out, close at hand, what looked like the glistening back of some sea monster.

It was only the imagination of the moment. Directly after he was swimming for it, seeing that it was the bottom of the capsized boat, about which the crew were cl.u.s.tering.

Then a strong hand was stretched out to him, and he was drawn to the keel, Tom Fillot, who had rowed stroke oar, helping him to a good position.

"Hold on a bit, sir, and we'll try and right her."

"Yes," panted Mark. "Where's Mr Russell?"

"Here," came rather faintly from the other side of the boat, accompanied by a fit of gasping and coughing. "All right now; I got under the boat.

All here, my lads?"

"Ay, ay, sir."

"Then you one and all deserve a flogging," cried the second lieutenant, angrily. "What were you about to capsize the boat?"

"Dunno, sir," said Tom Fillot, gruffly. "She went over all of her own sen."

"Don't be an idiot, man."

"Where's the black?" panted Mark, who had not yet got back to his regular breathing.

"I have him, sir," said the c.o.xswain, "but I don't think he's--"

"Oh, don't say he's dead!" cried Mark.

"Course not, sir, if you says I'm not," muttered the man; "but it strikes me as he was dead before he reached the sea. Some one seems to have hit him on the head."

The lieutenant changed his position, so as to place himself alongside the c.o.xswain, and then moved away again.

"Dead?" whispered Mark, as he drew himself a little more on the bottom of the boat, and craned his neck towards his brother officer.

Russell did not answer for the moment, but gravely bent his head.

"The brutes!" he then said, softly; "and all this risk for nothing."

Then aloud--"Now, my lads, quick. Swimmers. The oars."

These words roused the little crew, which had been clinging to the keel, half lying on either side of the boat, as if there was nothing more to be done but wait for help but now three of the men at once quitted their hold, and began to swim about in search of the oars and other objects floating about in the glistening moonlight.

"Never mind the hats, man," shouted the lieutenant. "The oars--the oars."

This was to one of the sailors who had reached a straw hat and clapped it upon his head as he swam, but the same man recovered one of the oars and brought it alongside.

"Any one seen my hitcher?" shouted the c.o.xswain from where he hung on, supporting the black.

"No."

"Yes," came from Mark, who pointed; "there it is, standing up like a great quill float. See it?"

"Yes, sir, I see it," cried a sailor; and he swam off towards the white-looking pole, while others sought for and recovered the whole of the oars, which floated a short distance away, the men having gained a little more confidence, and freely quitting their hold of the boat, as it slowly rose and fell in the midst of the smooth, heaving sea.

Mark had done nothing but hold on to the keel and try to direct the men, as they swam here and there, giving a longing glance, though, from time to time at the distant _Nautilus_, whose white sails gleamed in the moonlight. Now, as the crew resumed their places, and tried to keep the oars and boathook alongside the keel, he turned to the lieutenant.

"What are you going to do about--about that?" he whispered.

"Get the poor creature on board--if we can," was the reply; and the young midshipman could not help shuddering. "It is what we were sent to do, Vandean," continued the officer, "and we must do our duty. Now, my lads," he cried, "all of you over here, and let's right the boat."

The men opposite swam round, and, the oars being left floating, an effort was made to drag the boat over, all hanging on the keel. But, in spite of effort after effort, she refused to right, and Mr Russell gave the word to rest for a few minutes, and collect the floating oars, which were getting scattered once more.

This being done, Mark turned to his officer, and said in a low voice,--"You want the c.o.xswain to help?"

"I do, my lad," replied the lieutenant, but he stopped short and looked at his young companion.

"I will not mind," said Mark. "I'll try and hold the poor fellow up, and set Joe Dance free."

Without waiting to be ordered, Mark drew a deep breath, edged himself right astern to where the c.o.xswain held on to the keel with one hand and grasped the black's wrist with the other.

"Go and take my place," he said; and making an effort over self, he searched for and found one of the little fenders suspended from the boat's side, took a firm hold, and then stretched out his right hand to grasp the black's wrist.

"Mean it, sir?" said the man.

"Yes," replied Mark, huskily. "Go and help."

The next minute the lad hung there in the water, with his face kept toward the boat, and his hand retaining that which he could not muster up sufficient courage to turn and gaze at, as it lay calm and stern, looking upward toward the peaceful moonlit skies.

Then began a st.u.r.dy effort to right the boat, and Mark's position grew irksome in the extreme, for at every struggle to drag the keel down toward them, the midshipman was drawn lower, and he felt that if his companions in misfortune succeeded in righting the boat, he would have to let go and try to keep himself afloat for a time.

But in spite of try after try, the boat remained stubbornly bottom upward, and at last, worn out by their exertions, all ceased their efforts, and rested half on the keel which offered a tempting halting place for those who liked to climb upon it, and sit astride.

Just then Dance the c.o.xswain made his way to Mark, and without a word seized the wrist of the black, and in a low growl bade the young officer rest.

"Soon as you can, my lad," he whispered, "reach down and get hold of one of the rudder-lines. I'll make him fast to that."

"But his head--it must be kept above water," whispered back Mark in a choking voice, for he felt hysterical and strange.

"What for, my lad?" said the c.o.xswain. "It can do no good. Half a million o' doctors couldn't save his life. He was done for when they pitched him in, and I should like to have my will o' them as done it.

Precious little marcy they'd get out o' me."

"Come along here, Mr Vandean," cried the lieutenant from the bow end of the boat; and Mark shudderingly left the c.o.xswain making fast the wrist of the dead black to one of the rudder-lines, and joined his brother officer, easily pa.s.sing from one to the other of the men as they half lay on the bottom, resting and clinging by one hand to the keel.

"Cheer up, my lad!" said the lieutenant. "There's nothing to mind. The sea couldn't be smoother, and we can hold on like this for any length of time. The captain is sure to come back soon to pick us up."

Mark made no answer, but crept into as secure a place as he could beside his officer, gazed away at the dimly-seen vessels, and listened to the dull report of gun after gun.

"Well, you are very quiet," said the lieutenant after a long pause.

"Why don't you speak?"

"I have only one thing to say," replied Mark, "and I did not like to say that."