Ned Garth | Page 3

was
what he supposed, it had disappeared.
"Would that the men with their rockets were here. What can have
delayed them? If they don't come soon, not a soul of the crew will be
left alive," exclaimed the lieutenant.
Just then a voice hailed, and Edward shouted in return. A dark figure
could be seen at the top of the cliff. It was Tom, who rapidly made his
way down to where they stood, carrying a pair of oars and a coil of
rope.
"The brig is driving in," cried Edward. "She's much nearer than when I
first saw her."
"You're right," answered the lieutenant. "In spite of my timber leg, few
men could once beat me at swimming; even now I've a mind to go off
to the wreck. I might be in time to save some of the people. Here, Tom,
hand me the end of the rope, and I'll make it fast round my waist, and
do you and Ned pay it out, and haul in again when I shout to you."
"Don't think of going," said Edward; "you have been ill lately, and are
not as strong as you were. Let me try. I can swim like a fish; you have
often seen me in rough water as well as in smooth. It won't matter to
any one if I am drowned."
"Won't it though! What would Aunt Sally say if I was to go back
without you, Ned?" exclaimed the lieutenant. "I should never be able to
look her in the face again."
"But I'll do my best not to come to harm," said Edward; "and you can
haul me back if I cannot make my way through the breakers."
"Let me go, massa," cried Tom, rapidly throwing off his clothes, and
beginning, without further ado, to fasten the rope round his own waist.
"Jis see him tight--not a slip-knot, massa. Tom Baraka swim tro' worse

seas dan dis on coast ob Africa, as you know. Stick de oar in de sand.
Tie de rope to it, Massa Pack; you pay out, and off him go."
And before the lieutenant or Ned had time to speak another word, the
black had plunged into the foaming seas, dragging out the rope which
the lieutenant quickly uncoiled. His dark head and back could be
distinguished amid the surging foam, as he made his way through the
breakers for some distance, when a huge wave rolling in beat him back
almost to the beach. The lieutenant hauled in the rope, fearing that
Tom's legs might be entangled, but the brave black again sprang
forward. He had, however, another danger besides the sea to encounter.
Already broken spars, planks, and masses of timber, with bales of all
sorts, were being hurled on shore, and a blow from some heavy piece of
wreck might in an instant disable him. It seemed useless indeed to
proceed further; not a human being was likely to have remained alive
on the shattered wreck. Probably the larger number were drowned
when the boat was upset. Another sea, still fiercer than the former,
rushing on with a loud roar, again drove Tom back.
"We must haul in the rope," cried the lieutenant. "I cannot let the brave
fellow further risk his life."
But once more it was found that Tom was dragging out the rope.
"I heard a cry, and I fancy I see some one not far from. Tom,"
exclaimed Edward. "Yes, yes! he is making towards the man. Ah, I fear
he has missed him; no, he has hold of him. Haul away, uncle, haul
away; let me go and help him, there's rope enough to spare," and Ned,
securing the slack end of the rope under his arms and seizing the spare
oar, dashed forward in time to grasp the man just as the black,
exhausted by his exertions, was on the point of letting him go. Another
wave breaking at the moment, and hissing as it rushed back in a sheet
of foam over the beach, would have swept away the almost rescued
man, but Edward, planting his oar deep in the sand, held on while the
lieutenant was engaged in hauling Tom out of danger, hastening, the
moment he had done so, to assist his nephew in landing the stranger.
The latter still breathed, and attempted to raise himself from the sand,
though unable to speak.

"You attend to him, Ned, while I look after Tom," said the lieutenant.
The black, however, required no assistance. He proposed, indeed, to
again swim off on the chance of finding some other human being
struggling for life; but this the lieutenant would not allow. Already the
breakers were covered with masses of wreck, amid which not a single
person could be seen, though they looked