“Let her drift in on the shoal!” Hardy cried.
“There are too big odds against all of us using your line, an’ we’ll hold on a spell after she strikes. You four can manage the surf-boat, an’ I allow there’s time to get it.”
“He’s right!” the keeper exclaimed. “I must have lost my head when I thought they could come in hand-over-hand while there’s such a sea on. Buckle to the oars, boys! We’ll make the station if we can; but if not, beach this craft as near as possible. We’ve a poor crew indeed, if our comrades are allowed to drown while they’ve got so many timbers under them!”
While speaking he had swung the boat around head on to the shore, and every man tugged and strained at his ashen blade, while Downey lent all possible assistance with the steering oar.
“We’ll never make the station!” Benny heard Robbins, who was directly in front of him mutter, and almost at the same instant the keeper cried hoarsely:
“We must take our chances in the cove, boys. No. 8, get hold of a cork jacket and come aft before we strike!”
[CHAPTER XVI.]
CAST ASHORE.
Benny understood the command given by Keeper Downey, but could not make up his mind as to how it might be obeyed. It seemed to him in the highest degree important that he keep to work with the oar, and yet he could not lay hold of a life-preserver without dropping it.
After having thus attended to the boy’s safety so far as was possible, the keeper turned all his attention to the work of so steering the life-boat that she would strike the shore at the least dangerous point.