When Wal Jessop reached Edgar Foster—for it was our hero who had been so miraculously saved from sudden death—he found him sitting with his back to the rock, and gazing out to sea with wistful eyes. Edgar smiled faintly as he approached, and held out his hand, which Wal Jessop seized in a hearty clasp. Edgar began to talk, but Wal Jessop told him not to excite himself, and to leave anything he had to say until they were safe and sound on the top of the rocks.
‘The little one is safe,’ said Wal. ‘It was easy enough to take her up, but it will be more difficult with you, and I shall want you to help me all you can.’
‘I’ll do my best,’ said Edgar, ‘but I feel very weak. What an awful night it was!’ And he shuddered as he spoke.
‘You’ll be able to tell me about it later on,’ said Wal Jessop. ‘Try and walk a bit; put your arm round my neck, and lean on me heavily.’
Edgar managed to stand on his feet, but he felt so weak he almost fell down again. However, he succeeded in dragging along, with Wal Jessop’s assistance, as far as the dangling rope. Edgar saw how long it was, and said:
‘Will it bear us both? You ought not to run any risk.’
It’s strong enough to hold an elephant,’ said Wal; ‘and there’s plenty of good sturdy fellows on top to haul us up.’
Without further delay he proceeded to make preparations for the ascent. He tied the rope firmly under Edgar’s arms, then made a loop lower down in which he could fix his feet. When Wal had put his feet in the loop, Edgar put his feet on the top of Wal Jessop’s, and, facing each other, they were ready to be hauled up. Wal Jessop also had his arms round Edgar, in case the rope was not sufficient support for him.
‘Do you feel firmly fixed?’ said Wal.
‘Yes,’ replied Edgar; ‘but it will be a stiffish pull for those on the top.’