fellow all right?"

"He has broke his arm," one of the fishermen, who had just helped the
man to his feet, replied. "He may be thankful it's no worse."

James was now helped to his feet.

"I am all right," he repeated to Mr. Wilks, "except that I feel as if I
had a hot iron round my body. That rope has taken the skin off all
round me, I fancy, and doesn't it smart, just, with the salt water!"

"Oh, James, how could you do it?" a girl's voice said suddenly.

The fishermen drew aside, and Aggie Linthorne pressed forward.

The squire had gone into her schoolroom and had said:

"Mrs. Walsham, I think you had better give up your lessons for the
morning, and get home. It is blowing a gale now, and we shall probably
have the rain down before long. I will walk down with you. The wind is
dead on the shore, and it will be a grand sight."

Aggie at once set her mind on going, too; but the squire refused, until
Mrs. Walsham suggested that, if it came on wet, Aggie could stop at her
house until it cleared up, or, if necessary, till morning. Whereupon,
the squire had given way, and the three had started together for
Sidmouth, leaving Mrs. Walsham at her house as they passed. The others
had struggled down, against the wind, until they came within sight of
the sea. The first boat had just been run safely on shore when they
arrived, and Aggie gave a cry, and put her hands over her face, as the