Part 23 (2/2)

After that, he looked resolutely astern over his companion's shoulders as she swung up between him and the sea with the slate-green ridges and tumbling white tops of the combers behind her. At length a hazarded glance showed him that they were close insh.o.r.e, and he wondered for a moment whether he could swing the dinghy round without rolling the boat over. He did not think it could be done, and set his lips as he let her go, careering on a comber's crest, with at least half her length out of the water.

Then there was a white upheaval close alongside, and for a moment a black ma.s.s of stone appeared amidst the leaping foam. They swept by it, and he gasped with relief as he looked at Miss Hamilton.

”Get hold of me when she strikes,” he said.

The dinghy swung round, twisting broadside-on with the brine pouring into her in spite of all that he could do; and while he tore at one oar, another white sea that curled menacingly rose up astern. It broke right into the boat, and in another moment there was a crash, and Nasmyth, who let the oars drop, stretched out his arms to the girl. He jumped when she clutched him, and found himself standing amid the swirling froth on what seemed to be a ledge of very slippery stone, with both arms about her, while the crushed-in dinghy swept up among the foam-lapped boulders. He sprang down from the stone as another sea came in, and floundered ash.o.r.e waist-deep with it, after which he set his dripping companion down upon the beach.

”I'm afraid you're rather wet,” he said, when he got his breath again.

”Still, I really couldn't help it. There was a good deal more sea than I had expected.”

Miss Hamilton, who sat down on a boulder with the water dripping from her skirt, looked ruefully at him and the dinghy, which was rolling over in the surf.

”How are we going to get off?” she inquired.

”Not in that dinghy, any way,” answered Nasmyth. ”She has knocked all one bilge in. They'll probably send the _Tillic.u.m's_ gig ash.o.r.e for us by-and-by.”

”But she's going away!” said the girl, with a gasp of consternation.

Nasmyth, who turned round, saw that this was certainly the case. A cloud of steam blew away from beside the yacht's funnel, and in another moment the shriek of a whistle reached him.

”I don't think we need worry about that,” he remarked. ”They evidently watched us get ash.o.r.e. You see, with the breeze freshening she couldn't very well lie where she was. Still, if I remember, there's an inlet a couple of leagues or so away along the coast where she'd find shelter.”

”But why didn't they send for us first?”

”The trouble is that there is really a nasty sea, and they couldn't very well take us off if they knocked a big hole in the gig. I fancy the wisest thing would be to walk towards that inlet along the beach.”

They set off, when Nasmyth had pulled the dinghy out, but the beach was strewn with driftwood which was difficult to flounder over, as well as very rough. They made no greater progress when they tried the Bush. Fallen trees lay across one another, and there were th.o.r.n.y thickets in between, while, here and there, the undergrowth seemed as impenetrable as a wall. By-and-by it commenced to rain, and for an hour or two they plodded on dejectedly through the pitiless deluge. It rains exceedingly hard in that country. At last the girl sat down on a fallen tree. She had already lost her hat, and the water soaked out of Nasmyth's jacket, which he had tied by the arms about her shoulders.

Her drenched skirt clung about her, rent to tatters, and one of her little shoes was caked with mire. The other gaped open.

”How far have we gone?” she asked.

”About a league,” answered Nasmyth quietly. ”I think we could make the inlet in another two hours. That is, if the beach isn't very much rougher.”

The girl leaned against a branch wearily. ”I'm afraid I can't go a step further,” she replied with trembling lips.

The rain beat upon them, and Nasmyth stood still a moment looking at her.

”Well,” he said, ”we really can't stay here. Since there seems no other way, I think I could carry you.”

His diffidence was evident, and Violet smiled. ”Have you ever carried anybody--a distance--before?” she asked.

”No,” said Nasmyth, ”I certainly haven't.”

”Then I don't think there would be much use in trying. You couldn't carry me for more than four or five minutes. That wouldn't be worth while, would it?”

Nasmyth said nothing for a minute or two, for he felt compa.s.sionate as well as a trifle confused. He had, in fact, already discovered that there are occasions when a young woman is apt to show greater self-possession and look facts in the face more plainly than a man.

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