This was done almost in a second; and when they came to the surface again, Kit grabbed at the slippery edge of the “mushroom.” His hand slipped off, but struck against the floating plank, which he had not seen in the darkness; and that was better still. He guided one of Mr. Clark’s hands to the plank, and then let go his own hold.
“Now hold fast for a minute, sir,” he said, “and we’ll be all right.”
“I’m g-gone, Silburn!” the purser gasped; “I c-can’t (ah!) swim!”
“You’ll be on shore in a moment, sir, if you hold tight,” Kit answered; and he scrambled up on the nearest “mushroom” and laid one end of the plank upon it. But he could not risk the leap to the opposite shore in the darkness, so he plunged into the water again and swam across and soon had the other end of the plank in place.
But getting Mr. Clark out was no easy matter, even with the plank made firm again. Kit climbed out, and walking the plank till he could reach the purser’s nearest arm, he grasped it firmly and helped him toward the shore.
“Now get one knee on the plank,” he said, when he had him in the corner between the plank and the edge of the “mushroom”; and stooping down he seized the knee that his companion was trying in vain to raise high enough, and pulled it up.
“Now one grand pull, and we’re all right.” Kit was on the pitch bed again by this time, with a firm hold under the purser’s arms. He pulled with all his strength. Mr. Clark got the other knee on the “mushroom,” and in an instant more he was safe on land, but exhausted with his efforts, and unable to rise.
Kit quickly turned the purser over on his face and raised his feet to let any water run out of his mouth that he might have swallowed; and that was no light undertaking with so heavy a man. Then he turned him over again, and finding that he was breathing regularly, though heavily, he began to urge him to rise.
“We must get ashore to dry our clothes,” he said. “It won’t do for you to lie here in the wet.”
“Oh, I never can walk ashore!” the purser gasped; and putting up his hand, he added, “I must have struck my face against something down in that hole; my nose is so sore.”