Part 57 (1/2)
”Ah, you will be soon It's the clothes, my lad Now look here, Mas'
Don You take ain like this with your clothes on They makes a wonderful deal of difference”
”Je him
”Ay, ay, my lad”
”Are the boats very far away?”
”Well, a tidy bit; say half-mile”
”Then swim ashore and leave me; save yourself”
”Oh, that's it, is it?”
”And tell my mother--”
”Now, look here,” cried Je your mother as I left you in the lurch; and ht No, Mas' Don, I've tried it easy with you, and I've tried it hard; and now I says this: if you've o down together, like mates”
”No, no; you must swim ashore”
”Without you?”
”Jem, I can do no more”
”If I leaves you, Mas' Don--Ahoy! Boat!--boat!”
Jem meant that for a sturdy hail; but it was half choked, for just at that moment Donnerve, and began to beat the water like a dog
”Mas' Don, Mas' Don, one more try, dear lad, one more try!” cried Jem, passionately; but the appeal was vain He, with all his sturdy hts, was beaten in the alled bravely to the very last, before he had given in
But even then Don responded to Je, to make three or four steady strokes
”That's it! Brave heart! Well done, Mas' Don We shall ive up You can do it; and when you're tired, I'll help you Well done--well done Hah!”
Jem uttered a hoarse cry, and then his voice rose in a wild appeal for help, not for self, but for his brave young companion
”Boat! Boat!” he cried, as he heard Don, deaf to his entreaties, begin the wild paddling action again; and he passed his arm beneath his neck, to try and support him
But there was no reply to his wild hail The boats were out of hearing, and the nextabout his lips, choking him as he breathed it in; and with the narip with one hand, as he struck wildly out with the other
Four or five steady strokes, and then his arm seemed to lose its power, and his strokes were feeble
”Mas' Don,” he groaned; ”I did try hard; but it's all over I'm dead beat, too”