Part 20 (1/2)

”She's moving!” yelled Paul Singleton, excitedly.

Darry kept right along, pulling with even more vim than before.

”Bully boy! she's coming! I can feel her move each time. If only an inch, it is something. We're going to get her off! It's a cinch, I tell you!”

Plainly Paul Singleton was considerably excited over the changed prospect that confronted him, and his cries gave the lad heart to exert himself to the utmost.

Suddenly he found that he was towing the launch behind him.

She had left her berth in between the two rocks and floated on the waves.

The owner gave a last whoop of delight.

”I knew if anyone could accomplish it, you would. I think you must be my good genius, Darry. To think of our meeting again here in the middle of the bay and just when I was on my way to your home to see if I could induce you to keep your half-given promise. It's great! Tell me about destiny after this.”

That was the way Paul was calling out, as he busied himself in righting things aboard the jaunty little cedar craft.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SHE HAD LEFT HER BERTH IN BETWEEN THE TWO ROCKS AND FLOATED ON THE WAVES.]

”Now, what's to hinder you coming aboard and towing the rowboat astern?

The engine is all right and capable of twelve miles an hour, so we can go with this blow easily enough,” he suggested.

Darry was quite willing, for his arms felt a bit weary after his exerions, and the launch did look comfortable, even though fairly drenched just then, as a result of the waves breaking over the stern while she was held a prisoner in the jaws of rock.

The transfer was made without any particular trouble, and once Darry had secured his boat to the bra.s.s cleat in the stern of the launch he set to work throwing some of the surplus water overboard.

”Working your pa.s.sage, eh?” laughed Paul, who seemed to be in unusually high spirits, such was the re-action that had come over him.

Meanwhile they drew in toward the land.

What with the rain that was falling both of them were wet through; but this was such a chronic condition for a sailor lad to be in that Darry, for one, paid little attention to it.

CHAPTER XIX

THE PART OF AN ELDER BROTHER

”Come,” said Paul, after the boat had been tied up where the waves could not reach them and things had begun to a.s.sume a more comfortable aspect; ”Here's a fine little cabin and an oil stove on which to make a hot pot of coffee, besides a.s.sisting to dry us out. I insist on you staying to keep me company for a while. We are both cold and wet. Say you will, Darry!”

Darry did not need much urging. He was wet and chilled, and it did look cozy after Paul had started the stove going.

”Besides,” continued Paul, misconstruing his silence; ”I am under heavy obligations to you for coming to my a.s.sistance when you did. You saved my life and you are a regular life saver like Mr. Peake. There must be some way in which I can partly cancel that debt. You are allowed salvage by law when you save a vessel, Darry, did you know it? But for your coming my poor little _Griffin_ must have gone to pieces, not to mention what would have become of her owner. Now, how can I settle for this indebtedness.”

He was laughing as he spoke, but Darry considered the moment had come for him to put in a plea for his friends.

So he swallowed what seemed to be a lump in his throat, for after all it was no easy thing to ask such a favor from one who was hardly more than a stranger.

”Mr. Singleton, I was just wis.h.i.+ng I could meet you somewhere soon,” he began.