“I’m all right,” Benny replied, panting so heavily that it was only with the greatest difficulty he could articulate.
“This ain’t the kind of a night when a fellow can lay along the shore very long without running the risk of freezin’ to death. We’d best be movin’ as soon as you can walk.”
“I’m ready now,” and Benny rose to his feet.
“Throw off that cork-jacket; take hold of my hand, and once we’ve started, keep movin’ as long as it’s possible to breathe. We came out of that smother all right, an’ now are bound to get back to the station in such shape that we’ll be able to do our full share of the work.”
“Will the crew try to do anything more, now that the life-boat is gone?” Benny asked as he followed at a rapid pace by Sam’s side.
“We’re obliged to do all we can to prevent wreck, an’ a dip like this don’t excuse us from a full share of duty when there’s pressin’ need.”
“It would seem different if there was any one aboard the steamer or lighters.”
“We are called on to save property as well as lives, lad, an’ whatever danger we may have been in, or must face later, don’t count.”
There was no question in Benny’s mind but that the three men had been taken safely from the hulk, because Sam Hardy declared they would be, which declaration was the same to him as a fact; therefore he felt no anxiety until they were within fifty yards of where the lighter lay stranded upon the sands.