The evening was drawing on, and it was time to return, when the wind shifting, headed them, and they were compelled to take to their oars, Jacob and the boy pulling, while Adam steered. They kept close in shore to avoid the tide, which was running to the southward. The wind increased too, and they made but slow progress, so that night overtook them before they had proceeded half the distance.
There was still light sufficient to enable Adam to see a man on horseback galloping along the beach under the cliff, the water already reaching up to the animal’s knees.
“What can he be about?” exclaimed Adam. “He must be mad to try and pass along there; he will be lost to a certainty if he moves a few fathoms further on.”
Adam shouted at the top of his voice, and waved his hat, but the horseman neither saw nor heard him.
Presently, as Adam had anticipated, the horse began to struggle violently in a vain effort to escape from a soft quicksand which prevented it either from swimming or wading. The next instant a sea rolling in washed the rider from its back. He struck out boldly, making a desperate effort for life. Jacob and the boy pulled with all their might towards him, but before they could reach him a sea had dashed him against the cliff. By a mighty effort he got clear of it, when a receding wave carried him towards them. Before the boat reached him, however, he had ceased to struggle, and was sinking for the last time when Adam caught him by the collar, and with Jacob’s assistance hauled him into the boat. Jacob had at once to resume his oar, for they were so near the cliff that the boat might, in another instant, have been dashed against it. They got clear, however, but the tide had drifted them to the south.
“He is still alive,” said Adam, “but seems much hurt, and I fear will die if we don’t soon get him before a warm fire. We are just under Mad Sal’s hut, and the best thing we can do will be to carry him up there.”
“It will be a hard matter to land though, father, won’t it?” said Jacob, “and we may risk the loss of the boat.”
“Worth risking it for the sake of a human life, even if the man was our greatest enemy. There is a little creek in there, and if I can hit it, the boat will be safe enough. Stand by to jump out when I tell you.”
Jacob and the boy pulled on, and in another minute a sea lifted the boat, and though the surf broke on board she floated on, and dropped down safely into a pool, where there was no danger of her being carried away. Adam and his companions jumping out, hauled the boat up on the beach. Leaving the boy in charge of her, he and Jacob then carried the man they had rescued, and who was still insensible, towards Mad Sal’s hut, which could just be distinguished on the side of the ravine by the glare of light coming through the chinks in the window and door.
Adam knocked loudly.