Part 18 (1/2)
”But I guess it wasn't hard enough to do e”
”That reong on deck to learn what it means,” and he hurried up the companionway
CHAPTER XIII
A RESCUE IN MID-OCEAN
dick found that he could rereatest of difficulty Several life lines had been stretched around and he clung to one of these
”What has happened?” he asked of one of the sailors ”What did we strike?”
”Struck a small boat,” was the answer ”It had a colored man in it We've just hauled the fellow on deck”
”Is he all right?”
”No; he's about half dead But the captain thinks he et over it, with care,” and the sailor hurried away
dick no severalthe form of the rescued one between theave a cry of a!”
”Do you know the man?” questioned Captain Cambion
”I know him very well,” answered dick ”He used to work at the military academy where my brothers and I were cadets” And the boy told Captain Cambion the particulars of Alexander Pop's disappearance frolad that I will be able to tell him that his innocence is established,” he concluded
”All providing we are able to bring hiravely
”You think, then, that he is in bad shape?”
”I hardly knohat to think We will take him below and do all we can for him”
It was no easy matter to transfer Pop to one of the lower staterooms, but once placed on a soft berth the Rovers did all they could for him
”It is like a ro some medicine to the unconsciousfroave that yell we heard with his last breath”
All of the party watched over the coloredthat he could be in no better hands the captain left hie ”When he comes to his senses you can letby Pop's side, and Tom was at the foot of the berth, when the colored man opened his eyes As they rested on first one Rover and then the other he stared in utter astonishasped ”Aain?”
”Neither, Aleck,” replied dick ”You are safe on board an ocean steamer”
”An' yo'--whar yo' dun coers on the steao”