"Very well, Sir," I answered. "But you won't get any other." "What do you mean?" he shouted at me. "I'll let you know I'll have no impertinence from you or any one else." "I don't mean any impertinence, Sir--I mean that it's the only explanation there is to give." "I tell you it won't wash!" he repeated. "There's something too damned funny about it all. I shall have to report the matter to the Captain. I can't tell him that yarn--" He broke off abruptly. "It's not the only damned funny thing that's happened aboard this old hooker," I answered. "You ought to know that, Sir." "What do you mean?" he asked, quickly. "Well, Sir," I said, "to be straight, what about that chap you sent us hunting after up the main the other night? That was a funny enough affair, wasn't it? This one isn't half so funny." "That will do, Jessop!" he said, angrily. "I won't have any back talk." Yet there was something about his tone that told me I had got one in on my own. He seemed all at once less able to appear confident that I was telling him a fairy tale. After that, for perhaps half a minute, he said nothing. I guessed he was doing some hard thinking. When he spoke again it was on the matter of getting the Ordinary down on deck. "One of you'll have to go down the lee side and steady him down," he concluded. He turned and looked downwards. "Are you bringing that gantline?" he sang out. "Yes, Sir," I heard one of the men answer. A moment later, I saw the man's head appear over the top. He had the tail-block slung round his neck, and the end of the gantline over his shoulder. Very soon we had the gantline rigged, and Tom down on deck. Then we took him into the fo'cas'le and put him in his bunk. The Second Mate had sent for some brandy, and now he started to dose him well with it. At the same time a couple of the men chafed his hands and feet. In a little, he began to show signs of coming round. Presently, after a sudden fit of coughing, he opened his eyes, with a surprised, bewildered stare. Then he caught at the edge of his bunk-board, and sat up, giddily. One of the men steadied him, while the Second Mate stood back, and eyed him, critically. The boy rocked as he sat, and put up his hand to his head. "Here," said the Second Mate, "take another drink." Tom caught his breath and choked a little; then he spoke. "By gum!" he said, "my head does ache." He put up his hand, again, and felt at the lump on his forehead. Then he bent forward and stared round at the men grouped about his bunk. "What's up?" he inquired, in a confused sort of way, and seeming as if he could not see us clearly. "What's up?" he asked again. "That's just what I want to know!" said the Second Mate, speaking for the first time with some sternness. "I ain't been snoozin' while there's been a job on?" Tom inquired, anxiously. He looked round at the men appealingly. "It's knocked 'im dotty, strikes me," said one of the men, audibly.