tumbling with the cascade of foam into Port Gorey.

"Oh, Bern!" cried Nance, with up-clasped hands.

But Bernel, loosing his belt and kicking off his breeches with a glance
at the derelict, launched himself clear of the pier with a shout. And
Nance, seeing the bulk of the man, and careless of everything but Bernel
who seemed so very small compared with him, threw off her sun-bonnet and
linen jacket, loosed a button, and was gone like a white flash after the
two of them.

Gard was in the assay office not far away. He heard the shout and ran
out just in time to see Nance go, and running to the slip he saw their
clothes lying and the meaning of it all.

Bern had hold of the miner by the collar of his coat, and was doing his
best with one hand to tow him to the shingle at the head of the gulf,
the almost drowned one splashing wildly and doing his utmost to get hold
of and drown his rescuer. Every now and again Bernel found it necessary
to let go in order to keep out of his way.

Nance swam steadily up and the sinking one made a frantic clutch at her.

"Lie quiet or you shall drown," she cried. "Do you hear? Lie quiet and
you are safe! See!" and she held his right hand while Bernel took his
left and the man found himself no longer sinking, and they struck out
for the shingle.

Others of the miners had run down with ropes, but ropes were useless in
that deep gulf. Nance and Bernel were doing the only thing possible, and