“Ed’s getting well,” he said to Irv, as the two tugged at the pump.
“Yes,” rejoined the tall fellow; “a month ago he couldn’t have done such work as this to save his life.”
“And twenty-four hours of such a fog as we’ve been through would have killed him to a certainty. Now he doesn’t even cough.”
A little later, as the boat began floating more steadily, Phil called out:—
“Go below, Ed, and see how much water is in the hold.”
Ed’s report convinced the young captain that the leaks were at least not gaining upon the pumps. An hour later, the boat having become quite steady again, Phil found that the pumps were gaining on the water, which by that time did not rise above the flooring.
The boat had by this time passed again into a forest, and, while the current was now a steady one, it was still very strong. Phil considered the situation carefully, and decided upon his course of action.
“Take a line in a skiff, Will, and pass it once around a tree, then run off with the end of it and hold on, letting it slip as slowly as possible on the tree till the boat comes to a halt. Then make fast.”
To the others he explained:—