“Ah! a little touched in the top-hamper.”
“It was just day-light. Thinking to cool my self, I jumped into a wherry to get pulled down here to Greenwich.”
“Of course you were not quite sober.”
“Don’t ask! I do not like even to allude to my sensations, for fear of recalling them. My brain seemed in a flame. The boat appeared to be going at the rate of twenty miles an hour. Fast as we were cleaving the current, I heard my name distinctly called out. I reconnoitred, but could see nobody. I looked over on one side of the gun-wale, and, while doing so, felt something touch me from the other; I felt a chill; I turned round and saw——”
“Whom?” asked the midshipman, holding his breath.
“What seemed to be James Barber.”
“Was he wet?”
“As dry as you are.”
“I summoned courage to speak. ‘Hillo! some mistake!’ I exclaimed.
“ ‘Not at all,’ was the reply. ‘I’m James Barber. Don’t be frightened, I’m harmless.’