“I’m coming!” he shouted. “Hold on. I’m coming. I’ll be with you in a minute.”
“I’ll try to, but my arm is getting numb,” answered Jimmy. “Hurt it when I went down, I guess. My fingers are slipping. Hurry.”
A flash of lightning came just then, and Bob, looking over his shoulder, caught a glimpse of Jimmy’s face, usually so ruddy, but now ghastly white. His body was in the water and swung to and fro, while one hand clung desperately to a part of the broken bridge railing from which the waves were trying to wrench him.
“I’m going,” cried Jimmy despairingly. “Oh, Bob, hurry!”
“Hold on,” shouted Bob. “Hold on just one second more!”
He reached his comrade just as Jimmy’s cramped fingers were torn from their support. Like lightning, Bob’s arm shot out and grasped Jimmy’s wrist.
“I’ve got you, old boy,” he shouted. “Just try to keep your head above water and I’ll pull you out.”
With one arm thrown over the railing of the bridge to give him purchase, he pulled Jimmy toward him with all his strength. The current tugged at Jimmy’s body like a ravenous beast unwilling to be balked of its prey. But although the muscles of Bob’s arm felt as though they would break, the indomitable will behind them had its way, and inch by inch he drew Jimmy in until the latter was able to get hold of the swaying planks and lessen in part the strain. Then with infinite care and the utmost exertion of his strength, he half helped, half lifted Jimmy out on the planking, where he lay exhausted and gasping.
[CHAPTER XXIV—A TERRIBLE PLIGHT]
For a few moments both boys were so used up by the terrific mental and physical strain they had been through that they were unable to move. But the danger was still imminent, and how great it was they learned through a call that came from above.