"Pull the boat up, so I can step out!" said Mr. Hamblin, impatiently, to the bowmen.
They were hauling her up closer to the platform, against the strong current, which, being in a direction contrary to the wind, made considerable sea, causing the boat to roll and jerk uneasily. When she was within a couple of feet of the platform, the professor attempted to step out.
"Steady, sir!" said Morgan, one of the bowmen, as Mr. Hamblin was about to take the step; but at that instant the boat receded from the platform, and the learned gentleman, with one foot on the plank and the other on the bow of the boat, made a very long straddle, toppled over into the water, and disappeared in the eddies.
"My boat-hook broke!" protested Morgan, holding up the implement, from which the iron had drawn out; and after what had occurred on board of the consort, he probably deemed it necessary to make an immediate defence.
"Man overboard!" shouted several students in the ship; and immediately there was an immense commotion on board of her.
Mr. Hamblin rose to the surface an instant later, and shouted for help. The accident was observed from the Josephine, and the gig piped away in double quick time.
"Up oars! Let fall! Give way!" shouted Robinson, in the first cutter, as she drifted away from the gangway of the ship, without waiting for the orders to be repeated by the coxswain.
A few vigorous strokes of the oars brought the cutter to the spot where the professor was struggling with the dirty current. The bowmen seized him by the collar, and the crew, after no little labor, owing to the excitement of the unfortunate gentleman, succeeded in getting him into the boat. He was placed in the stern sheets, and Robinson afforded him such assistance as the circumstances would permit.
The gig, with Paul and Pelham on board, was darting through the current towards the first cutter. It was too late to be of any service; but it continued on its way, and the captain manifested his interest and sympathy as well as he could. Mr. Hamblin pressed the water from his hair, wiped his face with his wet handkerchief, and otherwise endeavored to remove the effects of his involuntary bath. He seemed to be, thus far, no worse for the disaster; but he directed Robinson to return directly to the Josephine, for obvious reasons.
The two boats came alongside together; and this time the professor, notwithstanding the discomfort of his condition, made no undue haste to leave the cutter before she was properly secured.