Then, as though the sound of their voices had revived some small hope, they shouted again and again, shouted until they were hoarse and their throats ached with the strain.
And still nothing but the pounding of the waves that threatened every moment to upset their boat, pitching them into the icy water! No sound but the moaning of the wind! Nothing but that driving curtain of snow that beat into their frozen faces, blinding them!
“Let’s try again,” croaked Bobby. “Once more, fellows. It’s a forlorn hope. But, come on. All together!”
Listlessly they went through the motion of a shout, queer noises coming from their cracked lips. And then—
“Listen!” cried Bobby, with a fierce joy in his voice. “Listen!”
From afar, piercing that curtain of snow, there came a sound, the faintest kind of sound, but one that started their hearts to bounding madly. It was a faint halloo—an answer to their frantic shouts.
And did they reply? Did they? Indeed, they did!
A moment before they had thought it was impossible for them to make another sound, but it did not take them long to find out their mistake. Frantically they yelled, growing more and more excited as that answering cry rang out again and again. Not so faint now and growing louder with each frenzied second.
Then they saw it! A dreamlike, slender craft, penetrating the curtain of snow, having as her crew two fur-garbed figures who stared at them stolidly!
They came as close to the longboat as the restless sea allowed, but although Bobby shouted at the top of his lungs it was evident that they could not understand him.