“Right! Swimming, indeed! Where’s he to swim to?” grumbled the officer; and at a word then the boats separated, and were rowed slowly along at a short distance from the shore.
Then came a hall from below, and a man bearing one lantern began to climb sidewise to where another had become stationary.
“Well?” from the shelf.
“One of ’em, sir.”
“Mind. Wait for help and look out for treachery.”
“He won’t show no treachery,” muttered the warder, holding the lantern over a ghastly face contorted by agony. “Well, mate, I’d give in now.”
“Yes,” said the man with a groan. “I’m sick as a dog. Hold me. I shall go into the sea. Get me back. The doctor.”
He said no more. His grasp of the rock to which he clung relaxed, and he began to slide down sidewise till the warder thrust his leg beneath him and grasped one arm.
“Look sharp!” he said to his companion. “Set the lantern down, and mine too.”
“Can you hold him?”