Part 26 (1/2)
”Quick,” he cried. ”You knew this yacht; what small boats did she carry?”
”Only the one; the other was so warped it had been taken ash.o.r.e.”
”Only one! Those fellows put off in that. There was nothing else to save life aboard?”
”There are life-belts here; see, hung to the front of the cabin. Was that what you meant?”
”Yes, and no.” He s.n.a.t.c.hed one from the hook, and hastily strapped it about her. ”These may help, but we shall need more. Was there no life-raft? My G.o.d! there must surely be something of that kind.”
”Yes, there is; I remember now. It is forward there, near the engine-room hatch. Percival Coolidge explained to me how it worked once. But--but I don't believe just the two of us could ever launch it over the rail.”
”We will, because we must--it is our only hope. I'll take the other belt; now come. We haven't an instant to waste--the water is even now almost level with the deck; any second we may be awash, and go down like a stone. Hold on tight to me.”
The deck was already sloping to port in a dangerous degree, and West was compelled to cling to the rail, as they slowly made pa.s.sage forward through the darkness. Their eyes had by then adapted themselves to the night, so as to distinguish larger objects, and, as there was no litter to encounter, as in the case of a s.h.i.+p wrecked by storm, the two progressed safely as far as the engine-hatch. Neither spoke, but West still clasped the hatchet, peering anxiously about for some signs of the life-raft. He located it at last, securely fastened to the side of the deck house, and, leaving the girl to hold herself upright as best she could, began to hack it loose. It was quite an affair, cork-lined, and evidently capable of sustaining considerable weight when once launched in the water, but c.u.mbersome and hard to handle on deck, more particularly because of its awkward form.
Fortunately it hung to the port side with a rather steep slant to the rail, which was not high. The waters of the lake, threatening to engulf them with every sodden roll of the vessel, were almost within reach of an outstretched hand, while occasionally a wave danced along the bulwark, and scattered its spray over the deck. West, working with feverish impatience, realized suddenly that his companion had deserted the place where he had left her and was also tugging and slas.h.i.+ng at the las.h.i.+ngs of the raft. These finally yielded to their blind attack. Without the exchange of a word the two grasped the sides and shoved the thing hard down against the port rail.
”Wait now,” he cried exultantly. ”Stay behind, and brace yourself against the hatch-cover. I'll get underneath and lift. Once on the rail the two of us must shove it free overboard. Here, keep a grip on this line, so the raft can't float away.”
She understood instantly, and, with a single swift glance at her dimly revealed figure, West straightened up, bearing the full weight on his shoulders, every muscle strained to the utmost, as he thus pressed it over inch by inch across the wooden barrier. Twice he stopped, breathless, trembling in every limb, seemingly unable to exert another pound of strength. Perspiration dripped from his face, his teeth clinched in desperate determination. At the second pause, she was beside him, pressing her way in also beneath the sagging burden. He felt the pressure of her body.
”No, no; I can make it alone,” he panted indignantly.
”Not so well as we both can, working together. I am strong, Captain West.
Try it again now, and see.”
Suddenly the great unwieldy ma.s.s moved, slid forward, poised itself an instant on the rounded rail. The yacht rolled sharply to port, flinging both on to the deck together, but sending the raft crunching overboard, clear of the side. West grasped her, and dragged her to her feet. His one thought was that they were actually going down, but, even as he held her in his arms, ready to leap out into the black water, the shuddering vessel, with a last despairing effort, partially righted herself, and staggered on.
”The rope,” he questioned. ”Did you lose grip on the rope?”
”No, it is here. I can feel the jerk of the raft.”
”Thank G.o.d for that; let's pull it closer to the side. We can't wait to take anything with us; even if I knew where provision and blankets were, I could never find them in this darkness. I would not dare leave you to search; another dip like that must be the very last. Here, let me hold you up; can you see the raft?”
”Yes; I'm sure it is just below; why I could almost touch it.”
”Can you jump to it from the rail? It is either that, or the water. Are you afraid to try?”
”Afraid--no. Hold me; yes; that way, but--but what are you going to do?”
”Follow, of course; but I shall take to the water. There are no oars here. Nothing to use as a subst.i.tute for them. I'll have to swim, and push that old ark as far away as possible. When the yacht goes down, the suction is liable to swamp us, if we are close in.”
”But I can swim, Captain West.”
”I am glad to know that; but now you do just as I say. There is no necessity for both of us getting wet through. Are you ready?”
She poised herself, held steady by the grip of his hands, her eyes on the dark outline of the floating raft. There was no hesitancy, no questioning.
”Say when,” he said sharply.