"That's what I'm after," replied Kroom; "and I reckon we'll get there first."
That might depend a great deal on the strength of the breeze, and even more on the crookedness of the channel. Account had also to be taken of the fact that no man can do his fastest walking in yielding sea-sand.
"There it is!" said Pete. "Captain, they hauled their boat a'most out o' water."
"They can shove it in again quick enough," replied Kroom. "I don't know exactly what to do or say. The fact is, they're a prime good lot of fellows—hard-working, sober, peaceable. All of 'em go to meeting."
"Well, Kroom," said Pickering, "I knew a real partiklar feller once, and they said he'd been a pirate. I didn't quite believe it of him."
"Here we come!" responded Kroom, as the Elephant glided somewhat lazily around a sandy curve. "Jump ashore, Pete! Get there!"
Sam had already noticed how remarkably quick his long-shore comrade could be in his movements, but he was surprised now at the sudden elastic bound which took Pete out of the Elephant as she almost grazed the bank on that side of the inlet. Then away he went toward the wrecker boat, and his bare feet were the correct thing for sand-walking, or wading.
At that very moment the four bay fishermen came in sight, toiling along breathlessly under the hot sun, and the foremost of them shouted: "Hullo, Kroom! Want to see ye!"
"Come on!" roared Kroom. "We'll wait for ye! H'ist yourselves along. Plenty o' time!"