“Den I’m de one!” the boy declared vehemently, and dodging Mr. Coffin’s outstretched arm, he seized a second coil of rope, one end of which was fastened to a ring in the deck, and ran to the stern of the steamer.
“Come back here!” roared the first mate angrily. “I’ll rope’s end you, you little scamp!”
“You’ll have ter do it when I get back from dat wreck!” returned the boy, with an impish grin, and the steamer having now forged ahead of the laboring brig, and Brandon being all ready, the fearless Swivel also dropped over the rail, and clinging with one hand a moment, let go simultaneously with his friend and patron.
Brandon tried to send him back, but it was too late then. The first wave seized them in its embrace and they were carried far out from the steamer’s stern.
The cork belt kept the young second mate above the waves, but even with this assistance, he found himself much less able to cope with the heavy seas than was his companion.
Swivel dived through the rollers like a gull, keeping faithfully by his friend’s side; and had it not been for the street gamin, Brandon afterward declared that he should never have reached the wreck alive.
He had no idea how furious the waves were until he was among them, battling for his life, and trying to reach the distant brig.
It was a terrific struggle, lasting perhaps not five minutes, but a few more seconds would have completely exhausted him.
A great wave suddenly swept them directly under the brig’s bows. Swivel seized Brandon’s hand with one of his own and with the other grabbed a rope trailing over the rail of the wreck.
Fortunately the other end of the rope was securely fastened, and with an almost superhuman effort Swivel raised Brandon until the second mate of the whaleback could grasp the rail.