“You go with Lav, Mart,” said Sidney in a quiet voice. “I’ll stay with Pola.”
“What do you think I am? I guess I’ll stay with her too!”
“But your grandmother—”
“Oh, gran’ma!” Mart’s voice choked. “But she’d be the one to tell me to stay—”
“It’s no use our all trying it,” muttered Lav. “I’ll get there or I won’t get anywhere.”
“Maybe it’s too far for you to swim!” Sidney was at Lavender’s side, her hands on his arm. The boy’s form in its light underwear showed pitifully crooked but Sidney saw him straight and she saw the gleam in his eyes. Suddenly she remembered what Vick had said so lightly about the Grail. Ah, she was seeing its gleam now, transcendently beautiful, in Lav’s eyes! She dropped her hold of his arm.
“You see, I’ve got to try it, Sid.” And she understood. He went on: “I’ll swim for the lighthouse. They can telephone from there to Rockman’s. You girls find a light and signal with it. Don’t lose your nerve, Sid.” He poised for an instant on the rail then plunged into the black water.
“Oh, Lav,” cried Sidney. She leaned far over the side of the boat. She could see nothing but a crest of foam. “Mart, he’s—he’s—drowned!”
Pola screamed again.