A Lively Bit of the Front

Over

rt to the Second Mate for boat drill. Until you a

stalwarts, but without exception were up-country farmers and sheep-shearers before they left New Zealand for the

teaming under natural draught, was cutting rings round her charge, as if reproaching her f

been called upon to instruct troops in boat drill, and never had he seen any practical result of his labours. The monotony of imparting boat knowledge into the heads of men who possessed not the slightest inclination towards things nautical irritated him. Forgetting tha

ld-fashioned style of davits. The davits were swung inboard, the boat resting o

d blast on the syren all hands will come to attention and await orders. At the bugle-call you will throw off coats and boots, put on life

instruction without emotion. The

oke," continued the Second Ma

in an audible aside. "Now we are getting on

t, see that the plug is inserted, and hook the falls--four hands to man each of

ctor," remarked the man sotto voce, at which s

uriated ship's officer. "You'd feel a bit sick if you found yourselves i

ed difficult by the roll of the ship,

l. To lower away with a practised crew manning the falls would entail a certain amount of risk should t

ng and hoisting part is done. I'll put you through t

the boat interrupted the Second Officer's explanation. Accidentally the "stroke" had released the afte

h until his feet found a hold on the edge of the foremost thwart. The boat, swinging like

block dealt him a numbing blow on the shoulder. Unable to grasp any object

t he hurled it close to the spot where the luckless fellow had disappe

of the catastrophe to grasp the situation. The bowman, more scared than hurt

dless of the fact that of all the party he was the only one who had not removed

speed. As it was, in spite of the momentum of his leap, he struc

eath of salt-laden air, rubbed the water fr

the accident and Malcolm's dive the ship had travelled a good hundred yards. Midway between the would-be rescuer and the object of hi

ntary glimpse of the man. In less than two dozen strokes he found that his saturated sleeves hampered

the man. He had ceased to struggle and was floating without a

the long roller. Then, as he rose on the succeeding c

might have saved myself a job. He's better off than

boat sling you out too? When are they going to pick us u

gnificent physique. "When are they going to pick us up, you ask? Can't say. I rather fancy t

he Awarua. The transport was now nearly two miles away. Whether she had slowed down or was still stea

ready Carr felt the numbing effect of the water. His fingers as he fu

anage to do, that. I guess there's a tidy drop of water got in while I was blowing. If we can get mo

said Malcolm. "I'll swim to t

expected rescuing-boat made for that there was a good chance of Malcolm and the rifleman be

evidently exhausted by his exertions, pushed the life-buoy

ability of rescue from that direction was of a diminis

ir of fools to be slung overboard we are

o "in the ditch" instead of one. He was also at a loss to explain the apparent callousness of the

ng cruiser. The latter was circling round the transport, and was on the point of turning at a

e clearly the life-boat hanging by the bow tackle only. As he loo

alman on the fore bridge set the arms of the semaphore at "Attention". When the trans

we'll pick

t, containing her full complement, lowered until the keel was within a few feet of the wat

!" was the

e patent releasing-gear was operated, and, carried onward with the momentum impart

charge, was somewhat unnecessary. At the prospect of saving life every man w

man, a youth of sixteen or seventeen with

ered the boat close to the wellnigh exhausted men. Ready hands lifted Malcolm and Macready into the stern-sheets, and within seven mi