Part 24 (2/2)
”Men,” he said suddenly, ”there may still be some one aboard that craft.
Who'll volunteer?”
A chorus answered him. Almost every man of the crew volunteered.
”Which of you is the best swimmer?”
There was a moment's pause and then one of the sailors answered,
”Maryon is, sir.”
”Do you think you can get on board?” the officer said, turning to the sailor mentioned.
”I can get to her all right, sir,” the sailor answered, ”and I'll try to get on board.”
”You may try then,” was the reply; ”we'll drop you right by her. You can swim around the stern and try the lee quarter.”
The sailor stripped, and fastening a light line under his arms, waited for the boat to take the required place. How Eric wished that the Eel were there! But Maryon was a fair swimmer, and as soon as he struck out for the s.h.i.+p, the boy felt that he need have no fears for him. The sailor was still a couple of fathoms away from the side of the s.h.i.+p when, suddenly, a piece of wreckage up-ended on a sea and struck him.
Those in the boat could not see how heavy was the blow, but it was clear that the sailor was incapacitated, and the crew hauled him inboard. He had a nasty cut on his cheek and his collar-bone was broken. While his hurts were being attended to, Eric saluted the officer.
”Well, Mr. Swift?”
”Mr. Sutherland,” he said, ”I've done a lot of life-saving work, sir.”
”Well?”
”I'd like to volunteer, sir, if I might,” the boy replied.
”You don't think it's too much for you?”
”No, sir.”
”I remember. You are an expert swimmer, are you not?”
”Yes, sir.”
”You are sure of yourself?”
”Yes, sir.”
”Very well, Mr. Swift,” the officer answered, looking over him keenly, ”You may go.”
With a quick pulse in his ears throbbing in excitement and elation, the boy slipped out of his cadet uniform and tied the life-line round him. A swirl of eager oars brought the boat again beneath the stern of the burning steamer. Eric plunged into the sea, the thought flas.h.i.+ng through his mind as he did so that he wished he could make a spectacular dive like those he used to envy in the Eel. That he was a swimmer showed itself the minute he touched the water. Without appearing to use one-half the effort Maryon had needed, the boy covered the distance between the boat and the flaming vessel in a few long strokes, watching warily for wreckage.
There was a treacherous suction as the vessel rolled, but Eric, trained to every form of danger in the line of rescue, kept close guard. He knew better than to make a false move from too great haste, and swam round cautiously, seeking for a place to board. The heat from that floating ma.s.s of belching flame was terrific, and more than once, as a gust brought down a cloud of fumes over him, the boy thought he would suffocate.
At last he saw, trailing over the quarter, a wire rope, one of the stays of the after derrick, and he made ready to climb. The stay evidently had been melted through at the derrick head, but the heated end had fallen in the water and cooled. Up this the swimmer swarmed, though the frayed wire drew blood from his hands and legs at every point he touched it. At last he reached the bulwark, grasped it and jumped aboard.
<script>