"Never say die," Bob replied hopefully. "I've seen sicker cats than this get well, and don't forget, Jack boy, that God can take care of us just as well out here as He can on the land."
"I know it and, believe me, I've been asking Him to do that very thing."
"So have I, and I believe He will."
The dismal night wore on. At times the snow slackened until it had almost ceased only to swirl down harder than ever a few minutes later. The wind kept about the same. Every half hour they changed shifts, as Jack called it, an arrangement which gave each an hour's rest after a half hour of strenuous labor. And each welcomed the chance to row in spite of the hard work as he suffered with the cold while resting.
"It'll be daylight in another hour," Bob announced as he moved to Jack's side to take his shift.
"But I don't believe we'll be able to see much better than we can now unless this snow lets up," Jack declared as he gave up the oars.
"Well, it can't keep on snowing forever," Bob added hopefully.
Just at that instant, as they were changing places, an extra strong gust struck the boat and Bob, feeling the bow swing off, put all his strength into his left oar in a desperate effort to straighten his course. Snap! The oar broke like a pipe stem and the boat was wallowing in the trough in an instant. Almost instantly a huge wave broke over it filling it half full of water and nearly throwing it over.
"She'll go over in a minute," Bob shouted.
An instant later and his words proved true for the very next wave caught the boat just right and over she went.