Big Jack took in the situation at a glance. Andy was unable to help himself, and he was too much for the other weakened swimmers to handle. It was a desperate moment.
"Hey, you, Andy!" Jack shouted, in a peremptory, seemingly angry tone. "Tread water!"
Andy heard and seemed to realize. The others could not waste an ounce of strength in talk, but as Andy followed directions and so relieved them somewhat of his weight, they shot appreciative looks at Jack.
It was all up to him now. They couldn't make the plane with Andy. They couldn't abandon him to drown there.
"Steady!" shouted Jack. "I'll have the plane there in a minute."
So saying he jumped off the other side, and, throwing his whole weight in the plunge, and kicking out with all his strength, started the plane in the direction of the other three.
It was a long, killing task, but he did it, just as Andy's head went under. Don, now almost exhausted, grasped at a wing of the plane to save himself.
"Get on there, too!" Jack shouted to Fred as he dived for Andy. He came up an instant later, with the half-drowned man in his grasp.
Fred and Don were by now in the plane. Jack, puffing rapidly, held Andy's head above the water, while the other two caught their breath. Then, with the last effort they had in them, they hauled the unconscious Andy aboard, and Jack struggled up after him.