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It may have happened in the struggle. Or again it may have happened when they were hoisted aboard and lay, for a minute or so, side by side on the deck. Both men were insensible; so far gone indeed that the doctor looked serious as he and his helpers began to induce artificial respiration.

The young third officer ‘came round’ after five minutes of this; but, strangely enough, in the end he was found to be suffering from a severer shock than Mr Markham, on whom the doctor operated for a full twenty minutes before a flutter of the eyelids rewarded him. They were carried away–the third officer, in a state of collapse, to his modest berth; Mr Markham to his white-and-gold deck-cabin. On his way thither Mr Markham protested cheerily that he saw no reason for all this fuss; he was as right now, or nearly as right, as the Bank.

CHAPTER III.

How’s Rendal getting on?’

Captain Holditch, skipper of the Carnatic, put this question next morning to the doctor, and was somewhat surprised by the answer.

‘Oh, Rendal’s all right. That is to say, he will be all right. Just now he’s suffering from shock. My advice–supposing, of course, you can spare him–is to pack him straightaway off to his people on a week’s leave. In a week he’ll be fit as a fiddle.’ The doctor paused and added, ”Wish I could feel as easy about the millionaire.’

‘Why, what’s the matter with him? ‘Struck me he pulled round wonderfully, once you’d brought him to. He talked as cheery as a grig.

‘H’m–yes,’ said the doctor; ‘he has been talking like that ever since, only he hasn’t been talking sense. Calls me names for keeping him in bed, and wants to get out and repair that stanchion. I told him it was mended. “Nothing on earth is the matter with me,” he insisted, till I had to quiet him down with bromide. By the way, did you send off any account of the accident?’

‘By wireless? No; I took rather particular pains to stop that–gets into the papers, only frightens the family and friends, who conclude things to be ten times worse than they are. Plenty of time at Southampton. Boat-express’ll take him home ahead of the scare?’

‘Lives in Park Lane, doesn’t he?–that big corner house like a game-pie? . . . Ye-es, you were thoughtful, as usual. . . . Only some one might have been down to the docks to meet him. ‘Wish I knew his doctor’s address. Well, never mind–I’ll fix him up so that he reaches Park Lane, anyway.’

‘He ought to do something for Rendal,’ mused Captain Holditch.

‘He will, you bet, when his head is right–that’s if a millionaire’s head is ever right,’ added the doctor, who held radical opinions on the distribution of wealth.

The captain ignored this. He never talked politics even when ashore.

‘As plucky a rescue as ever I witnessed,’ he answered the doctor. ‘Yes, of course, I’ll spare the lad. Slip a few clothes into his bag, and tell him he can get off by the first train. Oh, and by the way, you might ask him if he’s all right for money; say he can draw on me if he wants any.’

The doctor took his message down to Dick Rendal; ‘We’re this moment passing Hurst Castle,’ he announced cheerfully, ‘and you may tumble out if you like. But first I’m to pack a few clothes for you; if you let me, I’ll do it better than the steward. Shore-going clothes, my boy–where do you keep your cabin trunk? Eh? Suit-case, is it?– best leather, nickel locks–no, silver, as I’m a sinner! Hallo, my young friend!’–here the doctor looked up, mischief in his eye– ‘You never struck me as that sort of dude; and fathers and mothers don’t fit their offspring out with silver locks to their suit-cases– or they’ve altered since my time. Well, you’ll enjoy your leave all the better; and give her my congratulations. The Old Man says you may get off as soon as we’re docked, and stay home till you’ve recovered. I dare say it won’t be long before you feel better,’ he wound up, with a glance at the suit-case.