Part 34 (2/2)

There was no reply from Steve, and Tom, pulling the arm over his shoulder, as he had seen Steve himself do so many times in the tank when ill.u.s.trating the way to rescue a drowning person, felt the weight of the inert form on his back as he turned and strove to swim slowly back toward the cove. To swim with one arm, even to keep himself afloat so, was no light task for Tom, and now, with the weight of Steve's body bearing him down, he found the struggle too much for him. He relinquished all attempts to swim and centred his efforts in keeping afloat. If only Norton and the rest would come! He listened. There was a splas.h.i.+ng somewhere nearby, but it was too dark now to see a dozen feet away. Tom drew all the breath he could find into his lungs and let it out in a weak shout.

”Help!” he gasped. ”Here!”

Then there was an answering hail from close by, a mighty churning of the water and a dim form plunged alongside.

”Have you got him?” cried Norton. ”Give him to me, Hall. Hath! Over here!”

Tom didn't relinquish quite all his burden, though. He still had one of Steve's arms around his neck when, a minute later, Marvin and Williams having reached them meanwhile, the rowboat appeared out of the darkness.

It was no light task to get Steve into the boat, but it was accomplished somehow, and then, Tom dragging astern, hands clutching the gunwale grimly, and the others, too, claiming at least partial support from the boat, the rescuers turned sh.o.r.eward. Wisely, Churchill, who handled the oar, headed the boat toward the nearer point, and when the keel grounded, eager hands were waiting to lift Steve out and hurry him back to the hotel. Tom crawled out of the water and subsided on the bank, still fighting for breath and feeling rather sick at his stomach.

Between Fowler and Milton he was lifted and half carried, weakly protesting that he could walk all right and promptly crumpling up when they allowed him to try.

Steve had been taken up to the room he was occupying, and Danny Moore was administering to him when Tom was brought in and laid on his bed.

Steve was already talking weakly and Danny was telling him to keep still.

”Don't be talking,” he said. ”Fit that bottle to your back and keep covered up. You'll be fine in an hour. An' who've you got there? Well, if it ain't my old friend Jim Hall!”

Tom smiled faintly as Danny bent over him.

”An' so you been tryin' to drown yourself too, have you?” continued Danny. ”Well, well,'tis queer tastes you have, the two of you! Drink a bit o' this, Jim, and lie still.”

Mr. Robey came in and Danny nodded rea.s.suringly to him. ”They'll be fine as fiddles in an hour, Coach. Now you boys scatter out o' here an' leave them have a bit nap.”

Tom didn't remember much for awhile after that, for he must have fallen promptly to sleep. When he awoke, the light was turned low and Steve was sitting on the edge of the bed. On a chair beside him was a tray from which appetizing odours curled toward him. Tom blinked sleepily.

”h.e.l.lo,” he murmured. ”What's up?”

”I am and you're not,” answered Steve. ”I've brought you some supper.

Are you hungry?”

Recollection returned then and Tom observed his chum anxiously.

”Are you all right!” he demanded. ”Did they say you could get up?”

”Of course. You can too after you eat. But you were asleep and Danny said you might as well have it out. How are you feeling?”

Tom sat up experimentally and took a deep breath. ”All right,” he answered stoutly, although as a matter of fact he was full of stiff spots and queer aches. ”And--and I'm hungry.”

”Good stuff!” laughed Steve. He lifted the tray to Tom's lap and took the covers from the dishes. ”There isn't an awful lot here,” he added apologetically, ”but Danny said you'd be better if you didn't eat such a big supper. Do you mind?”

”No, I guess there's enough. That soup smells good. What's that there?

Roast beef? Fine!” And Tom fell diligently to work.

Steve watched in silence a moment. Then,

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