“All together!” sang out Jerry, and the boys put all their strength to the rope. Sam came up “on the run” and was landed on deck. He held the cat in his arms, the frightened creature clinging closely to him.
“No time to lose, boys!” cried the sailor, as he loosened the rope from his waist. “She’s sliding off into deep water. We must leave her!”
They made a rush for the side, climbed over the bulwarks and slid down the rope into the Dartaway. The cat still clung to Sam. The boys could see the wreck moving off the reef which had hitherto held it in place. It was slipping into the deep water astern.
“Start the engine!” cried Jerry as he sprang to the wheel. Ned turned the fly wheel over. The chug-chug sounded at once, and with a splutter the boat was off, darting away from the wreck.
“Get well out! Well out!” cried Sam, “or we’ll be sucked under!”
Jerry speeded up the motor. The boys looked back. Faster and faster the stern of the wreck was slipping into the sea. The waters seemed to be reaching up to swallow it.
Then, with a sound like a great sigh [half the steamer disappeared from sight beneath the waves]. There was a boiling and bubbling in the water, and a giant whirlpool formed. But the Dartaway was beyond the reach of it. The force of the sucking currents tossed the small craft about, but Jerry kept the engine going at full speed, and soon they were in calmer water.
“That was a narrow squeak,” observed Sam. “But we saved the cat, anyhow,” and he patted the animal.
The sea, all about them, was dotted with bales and boxes from the ships. More were constantly coming to the surface as they were released from the sunken wreck.
“Better make hay while the sea is calm,” observed Sam. “There’ll be a lot more boats out here in a little while, and we want to get our share of the wreckage.”