The news of the disaster traveled fast.
The Alice Lee, coming up from Madison, stopped at all of the villages and took aboard doctors and those volunteering to help. At midnight they arrived at the scene of the terrible catastrophe. One of the first passengers to step ashore was Doctor Hissong, Brad Jackson just behind him. The old doctor had his saddle-bags and instrument case, and Brad carried a roll of bandages.
"I wonder if they're still alive, Brad?" said Doctor Hissong. Old Brad's heart was heavy with forebodings, but suddenly he gave vent to a yell that nearly upset the nerves of Doctor Hissong: "Fo' Gawd, doctah, yondah's Shawn!"
Shawn came up, and the old doctor threw his arms around him and cried for joy. "Is Mrs. Alden alive, Shawn?"
"All right," said Shawn, as he pointed toward the cabin. Doctor Hissong hastened to the cabin, and when he came up to Mrs. Alden he bent over her hand and kissed it with a beautiful reverence.
"Thank God for saving you," he said.
"And Shawn," gently added Mrs. Alden.
The survivors went aboard the Alice Lee and the injured and the dead were also taken on board. Doctor Hissong and the other doctors gave all their time toward alleviating the sufferings of the unfortunate ones.
When the boat reached Skarrow, it found Mrs. Alden's carriage at the wharf. Shawn and Brad carried her to it. She turned to Doctor Hissong and said, "Bring as many of the injured as you can to my home, and those in need of clothes or assistance in any way."