“Jump on her keel, fellows!” roared a lusty voice. “There are four of us and we can right her. They’re both under the stern!”
In an instant, as it seemed, the little cutter was lying on her side, and the four women could see the bodies of John Bond and George Wood clasped together and entangled in the sail, but partly drawn out of water by the lifting of the boat’s side. Quicker than thought Mamie was in the wherry again and out on the water. The cutter had drifted in shore with the current during the two or three minutes in which all had happened. The girl saw that the rescuers needed help and was with them in an instant. What she did she never remembered afterwards, but for many days the strain upon her strength left her bruised and aching from head to foot. In less than a minute the bodies of the two men were in her boat and two of the newcomers were pulling her ashore. The others caught their own craft again and swam to land, pushing it before them.
With a cry that seemed to break her heart Grace fell upon her husband’s corpse. He was dead, and she knew it, though two of the men did everything in their power to restore him. They were all gentlemen who lived by the river, and knew what to do in such cases.
On the other side the two young girls knelt beside the body of George Wood, both their faces as white as his, both silent, both helping to their utmost in the attempt to bring him to life. The men were prompt and determined in their action. One of them was a physician. For many minutes they moved George’s arms up and down with a regular, cadenced motion, so as to expand and contract the lungs and produce an artificial breathing.
“I am afraid it is all up,” said one in a low voice to his companion.
“Not yet,” answered the other, who was the doctor. “I believe he is alive.”
He was right. A minute later George’s eyelids trembled.
“He is alive,” said Constance in a strange, happy voice.
Mamie said nothing, but her great grey eyes opened wide with joy. Then all at once, with a smothered cry she threw herself upon him and kissed his dark face passionately, heedless of the two strangers as she was of the girl who was kneeling opposite to her.
Constance seized her by the arm and pushed her away from George with a strength no one would have suspected her of possessing.