"No, he won't," rejoined Nat. "I saw him put on a life-belt before he jumped."
Breathlessly they watched Morello as he neared the shore. One minute he would vanish altogether, but the next he reappeared, and steadily forged ahead. In the haste and desperation with which he had left the schooner, he had not noticed the party on shore. But as he drew closer he suddenly saw them. Had they been a party of ghosts he could not have been more panic-stricken. With a loud cry that was instantly choked by the water, he threw his arms above his head.
As he did so he sank. But the waves caught him and rolled him toward the shore.
"We must get him out or he'll be killed," cried Nat, as time and again the struggling man was drawn back by the undertow.
"How can we?" gasped Cal. "If only I had a lariat here, I'd—
"We can do better than that," said Nat hopefully.
"How?"
"Form a human chain. Captain Akers, you are the heaviest. You will form the anchor. Now then you take hold of Cal and Cal will grip Ding-dong and he in turn will hold Joe, who will grasp me."
Before they could remonstrate against his daring plan, Nat had them all lined up under his directions, and then, while Joe held him tightly, the brave lad plunged into the surf.
As Morello came within reach he seized him, only to find him instantly torn from his grasp. But the next time the leader of the outlaws came within reach Nat did better. He caught and gripped him tightly.