squar' over, or slipped and driv' in, straight on to the
rocks.

"We're used to other'n fa'r weather along this shore. I calk'late we
ain't used to frighten at a little danger, but knowin' the sea so well,
we know the helplessness a'most o' puttin' out in sech a gale as that.

"I heered the sound. It only came but once: and Bede hissed through his
teeth, a cryin' too, a'most: 'Ain't thar' no other way to werry us, but
they must come in here to drown afore our very eyes! A fool's ventur'!
what could ye expect but a fool's end! Ef he must drown, let the
red-haired devil drown!'

"But when they heered it, them two, _him_ and George Olver, I knowed how
it would be. I hardly durst to look. I seen them flash at one another
with their great eyes, as ef it wa'n't enough to do man's work, but when
thar' come a chance, they must go act like God! I seen in jest that
flash, them two agreein' solemnly.

"Then it was all done in a minute's space, like you'll live yer life
through sometimes, in a dream. They had Bill Barlow's eight-oar ready.
They pushed us back. They'd a' gone alone, them two. I kep' the third
place. Harvey and Tommy scuffled, in a breath, and Harvey, he thrust
Tommy back, and we was off.

"God knows I never expected we'd come back again. You heern the wind. You
can calk'late what it was out thar' with the rain a drivin', and the salt
foam blowed into our eyes. I calk'late we never fetched a harder pull,
no, nor a blinder one.

"And she, the cursed thing, mad with twitchin' at her cable, lay over to
one side. But she was dyin' mad. I tell ye she was dyin' mad. Thar' was
them two a hangin' to her--thar' hadn't be'n but them. So we hauled
Rollin in, but that other one, when he seen us, the chance o' bein'
saved, it crazed him, and he sent up a quick, glad sort of a yell and
throwed his arms out straight, and back he fell, like lead, into the
water. And Rollin, crouchin' thar' and shiverin', 'He couldn't swim! He's
sunk! he's sunk!' he says. Then _he_, he ris up in a flash, and out he
dove into that hell.

"Then come another gust, a blindin', blindin', blindin'. 'He'll weather
it! He'll weather it!' George Olver kep' a mutterin', but his teeth was
set; his eyes shot through me like a tiger's--them two was brothers, and
more'n brothers, always. But when thar' come a half lull so't we could
see, and we looked out and seen him risin' on the wave, grippin' that
other one, in spite o' hope I scurse believed my eyes,