Part 16 (2/2)

”Yes, ill help you, only we can't think where you are; can't you let us know?” called Katherine, sending her voice in a reassuring shout over the reaches of treacherous green

”I a on to soasped with aed one so close at hand; for the patch of rushes to which she was holding the boat was the only one anywhere near, and a little ridge of solid ground connected it with the river bank, which was perhaps forty yards away

”Be careful to keep calling out now,” she said, preparing to force the boat out of its channel and into the liquid reennow so thick and hoarse that Katherine at once decided it must be one of the fisherreen of the swah she wondered that anyone could have lived at Seal Cove for a week and not known of the danger that lay in the swamps

”Phil, where can he be?” she cried, her voice sharp noith the terror of having aunable to help him

”There he is; I saw the rushes ; it is the one that has got a lupin blooain! Keep your spirits up, old fellow, and ill have you out in no tiroaned Katherine under her breath, for no effort of hers would h that awful slied she would be forced to stay there until soer of the le at all, only just keep still, and I think we can save you, for we have got rope with us”

”So we have! My word, how fortunate!” exclai bundle of stout hes of their

”Get the other bundle too; Ithe first, she hten to a certain extent

”What are you going to do? You can't throw it over him from here,” said the boy

”Phil, can you be very brave, darling, and walk across on the oars?” Katherine asked, a sob catching in her throat ”I will slip this other rope round you; then, if you slip in, I can drag you out”

”I'll go,” said Phil, alert and ready Then he kicked off his boots, which were stout-and every ounce s; but as his clothing consisted of only a flannel shi+rt and serge knickerbockers there were no clothes for him to shed

Katherine slipped one loop of rope over his shoulders, put the other looped rope into his hand, then laid an oar on the et there,” she said sharply

With light, cautioushihtrope dancer, and because he was so sht he passed in safety where a heavier person would have been quickly sub out both coils of rope Her face was ghastly white, and her heart was beating to suffocation She had not felt like this that day when she ventured her life on the ice to save Jervis Ferrars in the flood But that had been her own danger, this was her brother's, and therein lay the difference

”Landed!” cried Phil, in a quavering tone of triumph, as he planted his bare feet firether that they would not let hi to the poor wretch caught in the ht; we've got you safe enough, and they are English ropes, strong enough to pull a carthorse out of a bear pit You h, however much you feel like it”

”Phil, can you reach the oar?” Katherine cried, her voice hoarse, for she could hardly endure the strain of the waiting

”Yes,” said the boy, stooping now and touching the perilous bridge which had carried him to the comparative safety of the clump of rushes

”Then lay it across the clump, and well under the man's hands; keep it as firm as you can for him, while I haul on the rope Now then--!”

With all her strength Katherine hauled at the rope She was sitting noith her feet braced against the thwarts, and with every muscle tense she strained and strained until the perspiration streamed down her face, and the hot air of the swamp as it rose up seeth Katherine hauled at the rope]

”Hooray, he's co!” yelled Phil, and Katherine, who had been ale for yet another effort

Phil was helping now, but, best of all, the poor victi his share also, and at the end of a quarter of an hour of pulling, tugging, and straining he was on his knees in the clump of rushes beside Phil, and Katherine was able to rest her bleeding hands and plan the next stage of that perilous journey But a few moments of rest that poorany more risks, so she said cheerfully: ”Now, stay as you are for five or ten th back a little, and I will shi+ft o to accommodate you, for you will need a reserved seat, I fancy Phil, take your handkerchief and wipe the poor man's face I'm afraid it is rather a dirty one Your handkerchiefs are never fit to be seen, but it is better than nothing”

Phil took a grie nether garments, and proceeded to wipe the rescued y as if he had been polishi+ng tin pans with a view tothem shi+ne