Some human being was struggling in the river. Now, if ever, was the
time for his promptest action, and with Winn thought and action went
hand in hand.
In another moment he was in the skiff belonging to the raft, and
pulling with all the strength of his stout young arms in the direction
of the cries.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE RESCUE OF SABELLA.
Strongly as Winn pulled, the cries grew very faint and almost inaudible
during the few seconds that elapsed before he discovered the struggling
forms from which they proceeded. A glance over his shoulder showed him
a man swimming with one arm, while the other supported a
child--apparently a girl.
With a final powerful stroke the skiff shot alongside the drowning
figures, the oars were jerked in, and Winn, leaning over the side,
seized the girl's arm. At the same moment the man grasped the gunwale
of the skiff. It was no slight task for Winn to get the girl into the
boat, for she was unconscious, and formed a dead weight, that was made
heavier by her soaked clothing. He finally succeeded; and as he laid
the limp form in the bottom of the skiff and took his first good look
at her face, he uttered a cry of amazement, and doubted the evidence of
his senses. How was it possible that Sabella could be there, and in
such a predicament? Could the boat that had just been run into be the
_Whatnot_? If so, who was this man? He turned to look, and to help
him into the skiff; but, to his horror, the man had disappeared.
Pages:
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211