d. He made a savage assault
upon the rope.

Slash! Slash! Twice his arm rose and fell. The billow was breaking down
over him when he leaped erect and flung up his hand.

"Pull!" yelled Jim.

Just as the flood boiled over the ledge the chair and its senseless
burden jerked away. Percy grasped the lashings and was towed along
behind his father. Dread overcame him as he felt the limpness of the
older man's body.

Through the eddying tide ... up over the slippery rocks ... and
presently Jim and the mate were unfastening the bonds that held the
insensible millionaire in the boatswain's chair. They carried him up
near the beacon and laid him down on Percy's oil-clothes.

"He's breathing!" said the mate. "He'll come round all right. You'll
know what to do for him. I'll go back and help get the other men off.
Their lives mean just as much to their people as his does to you."

Working with Budge and Throppy, he took in the slack of the hawser, and
soon the chair was dancing back to the yacht. Meanwhile Jim and Percy
were working over Mr. Whittington, and before long he recovered his
senses. With a groan he half raised himself.

"Where am I?"

"You're all right, Dad!"

"Percy!"

Both father and son showed a depth of feeling Jim would hardly have
credited them with possessing.

"You don't need me here any longer," he said. "I'll go down and help
pull the others ashore. Throw these oil-clothes of mine over your
father, Percy, and make him comfortable, and as soon as the rest are
safe we'll carry him to camp."

"What's that?" growled the millionaire. "Carry me? I guess you don't
know the Whittingtons, young man!"

His jaw set and he rose somewhat unsteadily to his feet.

"Come on, Percy! Where's that camp?"

Walking slowly, the father leaning on his son's shoulder, the two
disappeared in the darkness. Jim watched them for a few seconds, then
started down over the ledges. The last half-hour had raised his
estimation of the Whittington stock considerably above par.

Then for a time, engrossed in life-saving, he forgot everything else. At
last all the men were landed safely. It was none too soon, for the yacht
was now almost down on her side; and it was plain she would pound to
pieces before very long.

Rescuers and rescued sought the cabin, where a good fire and hot coffee
awaited them. Whittington, senior, clad in dry clothing, lay in Percy's
bunk. Filippo was bustling to and fro to supply the wants of his
num