Part 8 (2/2)
”We may strike upon the rocks and be dashed to pieces,” suggested Charles.
”If you are afraid--”
”O, no! I'm not afraid; I was thinking of the boat.”
”If it is dashed to pieces in a good cause, let it be so.”
”Good!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Fred Harper. ”That's the talk for me!”
”The water in the lake is very high, and I know exactly where the rocks lie. Keep steady; I will put you through in safety.”
”Where is the b.u.t.terfly now, Frank?” asked William Bright.
”Wait a minute.--There she goes! Hurrah! she has pa.s.sed the reefs safely. They pull like heroes. There! Up go her oars--they are in-board.
There are a man and a woman in the water, struggling for life. The man is trying to save the woman. The chaise seems to hang upon a rock, and the horse is kicking and plunging to clear himself. Steady--pull steady.”
”Tony will save them all,” said Fred.
”Hurrah! there he goes overboard, with half a dozen of his fellows after him! There are six left in the boat, and they are working her along towards the man and woman. They have them--they are safe. Now they pull the lady in--hah--all right! I was afraid they would upset the boat.
They have got her in, and the man is holding on at the stern. Tony has got a rope round the horse's neck, and the fellows are clearing him from the chaise.”
The Zephyr was now approaching the dangerous rocks, and Frank was obliged to turn his attention to the steering of the boat through the perilous pa.s.sage.
”Steady,” said he, ”and pull strong. All right; we are through. We are too late to do anything. They have landed the man and woman, and now they are towing the horse ash.o.r.e. Tony's a glorious fellow! He is worth his weight in solid gold!”
”Can't we save the chaise?” asked Tim Bunker.
”We can try.”
”Hurrah for the chaise then!”
”Bowman, get the long painter ahead,” continued Frank.
”Ay, ay.”
The c.o.xswain of the Zephyr steered her towards the vehicle, which still hung to the rock, and, by a skilful maneuver, contrived to make fast the line to one of the shafts of the chaise.
”Ready--pull!” said Frank, as he pa.s.sed the line over one of the thwarts.
The crew pulled with a will, and the jerk disengaged the chaise, and they succeeded in hauling it safely to the sh.o.r.e, and placing it high and dry upon the rocks.
CHAPTER VI.
HURRAH FOR TONY!
<script>