“No, here it is!” exclaimed Nancy, swinging her own light to a focus on number four.
It was one of the smaller boats, but three people were already inside. A man gave them a hand.
A woman spoke as they climbed in, “Where are the rest? There’re supposed to be many more.”
“I don’t know,” Mabel replied.
The woman’s voice was not that of any of their own nurses.
“We can’t wait much longer,” said the man. “She’s listing badly.”
“Why don’t they hurry?” wailed the woman.
“Don’t be frightened. Here’s someone now,” said another man reassuringly.
“Is this number eight?” A man’s voice asked as he stumbled toward the boat.
“No, but you get in,” said the man who had spoken first. “No time to hunt yours. She’s going down any minute.”