"Is it burning? Is the lamp burning?"
"Yes, sir; the lamp is all right," the boys answered.
"Oh, God be praised for that!" he moaned. "No, never mind me," he went on, as the boys stooped to pick him up. "My—partner. He's down—below on the landing. I dragged him there after I—I—was hurt. Go see to him."
Saying so much exhausted the keeper, and his head sank back on his arm. To pacify him the boys started down after the other man, who was still lying precisely as they had left him. It was not an easy matter to carry him up the steep stairs, but they did it, and laid him out on the floor of the front room.
"His heart is still beating," Rex said, after putting his hand under the man's vest. "He must have been stunned. I think we had better leave him here and look after Mr. Pinder."
But Mr. Pinder had strong objections to being touched. "Oh, my leg!" he groaned, when they tried to raise him. Then, "Oh, my back! Let—me lie; please let me lie—where I am."
Rex found a towel and water, and washed the blood from the injured man's face and bathed his temples; and while he was at this the boys were startled by a cry from below of "Hello here, in the light-house!" and the clattering of boots on the iron stairs; but before they could reply the door opened and their fathers stepped in.
"Why, what are you boys doing here?" Mr. Jenner asked, in astonishment. "And what was the matter with the light?"
"There has been some accident, sir," Nick replied, "but we don't know yet what. Rex and I came out and found both these men hurt, and we have just been up to light the lantern."