"Don't move just yet," exclaimed the sub. as calmly as he could. "I'll help you both very soon."
He was desperately anxious lest the girl, by her action, would bring about the calamity he was trying to prevent. At the same time he was racking his brains to find out how he could get hold of the rope when the fisherman returned with it.
"Eh, little lass," he exclaimed, imitating to the best of his ability the East Riding dialect, "just you hand me up one of those sheets. Don't hurry."
The girl obeyed, wonderingly but unhesitatingly. Terence began to tear the cotton sheet into thin strips, binding them into one continuous length, until he judged that he had sufficient to reach the ground.
[Illustration: "'Don't move just yet,' said the Sub. 'I'll help you both very soon.'">[
Hardly were his preparations completed when the fisherman returned, puffing and blowing with his exertions.
"Eh, lad, a've got 'en," he announced. "An' a block as well. Th' knows it might come in handy.
"Good man!" thought Terence. "He's solved an awkward problem." Then addressing the old salt: "Stand by and bend the rope on to this," he shouted, as he allowed one end of the cotton strip to flutter to the ground.