[Jerry Already Had the Light High Above His Head.]
The Escambia rolled and plunged but it was fast to its quest. Tom was already bracing himself to swing aboard the wreck when Captain Joe shouted:
“Stow dem oars make ’em safe.”
Hal and Bob crawled back into the rocking boat and did so, and then Captain Joe standing in the bow with one arm about the taut straining line tossed the lantern to Mac. It was ticklish work, boarding the steamer, but, with Mac’s assistance, one after another of the lifeboat crew scrambled on to the vessel. For a moment, each boy was glad to throw himself on the deck. And, as they did so, it could be seen that the man at the fire barrel had not even noticed their presence. In the howl of the wind and crashing of the waves, he had heard nothing.
Captain Joe’s first work was to make a survey shoreward. All was black except in one place. To the starboard and slightly abaft the drifting steamer, a flickering light could be seen. It was the still burning campfire on the lee of the sand spit. Even the inexperienced Bob saw at once that the Escambia had followed the steamer some distance east of the pass. He also realized that, dead ahead, the beach confronted the unfortunate steamer. Before he had time to speculate on what was to be done, Captain Joe caught up the lantern.
The steamer was not a large one, and its iron deck forward and amidship was clear of cargo. Grasping the rail, the rescuers crept toward the solitary man crouched forward of the deck house.
“Ahoy there!” called Captain Joe. As the boys all joined in the cry, the man arose, shaded his eyes from the brilliant glow of his signal, and with a moan sank on the deck.
“Ye the skipper?” shouted Romano, springing to the man’s side.
With a fear-stricken look, the man, who did not seem to be a sailor, struggled to his feet.