too heavy! We've got a long pull back, Davy,--I think we ought to go
stocking feet!"

"Shall we take off our coats, too?" he said sensibly.

They did so, little Billy stumbling as Mary Bell loosened his hands
from the fence. They braced the little fellow as well as they could,
and by shouted encouragement roused him to something like
wakefulness.

"Is Jim coming?" he shouted.

Mary Bell assented wildly. "Start, Davy!" she urged. "We'll keep him
between us. Right along the fence! What is it?" For he had stopped.

"The other fellers?" he said pitifully.

She told him that they were safe, safe at the fire, and she could
hear him break down and begin to cry with the first real hope that
the worst was over.

"We're going to get out of this, ain't we?" he said over and over.
And over and over Mary Bell encouraged him.

"Just one more good spurt, Davy! We'll see the fire any minute now!"

In wind and darkness and roaring water, they struggled along. The
tide was coming in fast. It was up to Mary Bell's knees; she was
almost carrying Billy.