you begin thankin' us. I'll come about in a minute, an' then we'll
fetch yer in the tender."

Jimmy Toppan had already begun to pull the small boat alongside,
but before he could get into it, the young man called out: "That's
all right! I'll swim."

And he plunged into the water, and struck out toward us. Of course
he could not overtake a sail-boat, and we soon left him behind. He
kept on swimming, however, until his hat fell off. Turning around,
he picked up the hat, and jammed it on his head again. By this
time the Captain had put about, and started on a tack that brought
us near the swimmer. The young man came alongside, with a smile on
his wet face.

"Don't try to grab the boat," shouted the Captain, "get hold of
the tender!"

So the swimmer let us pass him, seized the side of the small boat,
and after one or two trials (which nearly upset the tender)
managed to climb in. He stood up in the stern, and raised his hand
toward the sky, again, as if he were "speaking a piece" in school.

"Safe! Safe, at last!" he cried.

At this instant the painter became taut; the small boat gave a
sudden jerk, and he went overboard again like a flash, head first.

Captain Bannister turned his head to see how the young man was
getting on. Of course the boat was empty.