Jack made her don a long oilskin coat to keep out the wind and rain, as, slightly clad as they all were, the wetting caused a feeling of cold.
Now that the strain and excitement of the first strenuous fight were over the woman felt somewhat limp and disheartened; but the presence of her lover by her side, blind and helpless though he was, proved a great comfort to her.
Shyly she sneaked her hand into his. He closed his fingers upon it reassuringly and whispered in her ear,
"I'm very proud of you, Lolie, steering through that squall."
Such was the noise of the wind that, though the castaways sat shoulder to shoulder with their backs to the gale, Jack, farthest aft, could only hear Loyola speaking next to him by putting his ear close to her mouth.
On the other side of Loyola sat Jim, the baler in his hand; whilst next to him Broncho and Bill Benson exchanged remarks, Tari being in his favourite place up in the bows.
"She rides well," muttered the bosun's mate, "an' if this kick-up don't stir up the mud too much, we'll see another dawnin' in this old low-degree turnip after all."
"You allows as how these perverse elements ain't goin' to get our scalps then," drawled the cowpuncher. "The deal comes a bit florid to me. The amount of agua we-alls contrives to gather at one time I regyards as liable to have baleful effects."
"An' my idees were about the same gauge. It's the gal who pulls us through the shindy. She's a bit o' dossy goods, wi' enuff nerve an' savvy to make an' ordinary josser pipe low an' subdued."
"You're shore right a whole corralful. I feels plumb useless an' no account when that 'ere squall rounds up on us, an' I near cuts loose a howl; but when I sees how she's playin' the game so ca'm an' easy, I cinches up my paltry feelin's an' whirls into the play with renewed sperit."