The time dragged slowly on; half-an-hour passed—an hour. Every voice on the beach was silent now. At length, when waiting was becoming simply agony, a mighty cheer rose from the expectant crowd, as borne on the crest of a huge wave, the boat with its precious load of rescuers and saved reached the shore; and a dozen or more pairs of willing hands helped to drag her high and dry, out of the reach of the incoming tide.
There was a clamour of voices; eager questions; tears, sobs; and in the midst of the intense excitement Dick and his aunt somehow understood that the brave men who had gone out to the wreck had returned in safety, bringing the captain and the mate of the schooner with them.
An hour later the beach was deserted. The shipwrecked crew was safely housed at the village inn; and the doctor, with his sister and Dick, were discussing the events of the evening over the supper-table.
How proud Dick was of his uncle! He could not help watching him with admiring eyes, and wondering what Ruth and Lionel would say when they heard the story of the wreck. He meant to go to the Manor House the first thing in the morning, after breakfast, and hoped no one would be before him in telling the tale.
Miss Warren looked pale after the excitement and anxiety she had undergone, and was far less talkative than usual, so that it would have been a very quiet supper-table but for Dick, who kept up an incessant flow of conversation with his uncle.
"Fancy Granfer Cole being on the beach in such dreadful weather!" the little boy exclaimed. "I should have thought he would have been afraid to come out-of-doors!"
"Was he there?" Dr. Warren said. "Ah, he is an old salt, and minds neither wind nor rain."
"By the way, one of his grandsons was the first to answer to my call for volunteers—a fine fellow he is too, and as strong as a young lion! He must be a lad after Granfer's own heart, I feel sure."
"I believe the storm is abating," Miss Warren remarked after listening a minute, whilst a look of relief crossed her face. "I am so glad! Do you think the wreck will break up during the night, Theophilus?"
"Very likely, I should say. I have seldom seen a worse storm—they must have felt it badly even at the Manor House, where it is comparatively sheltered, but I much doubt if they know anything about the wreck. You are making a very poor supper, Dick!"