  “Can you lift her up a little, Billy?” he asked in a low voice. “I’m afraid to,” Billy whispered brokenly. “If I move, I’ll—I’ll lose my—grip.” “Drop, then! Drop into the water, both of you!” “Don’t dare—she can’t swim—current’s too swift. Guess I’ll have to, though, or else——” He felt the girl’s arms loosen. “Hang on to me!” he said sternly. “No, no!” cried the girl. “Let me go! I’ll try—try to swim. And you can drop after me and—and—pull me out! Let me go!” “Wait!” shouted Alec. “Can you hold on a minute longer, Billy? There’s someone coming!” Then came the sound of someone running over the ties, and Alec gave a little gasp of relief. “Is that you, Chet?” he asked, without looking up or turning his head. “Engineer,” answered a gruff but tremulous voice. “Here, let me help you.” “Take hold of my feet, then,” Alec replied. “Lower me down another six inches so that I can reach them. Quick, now!” The man obeyed promptly. While he was speaking, Alec had slackened his hold with his legs, and the engineer lost not a minute in catching his ankles in a firm grip. The next moment Alec held the girl in his arms, and he managed, by a great effort, to pass her to Chester, who had just run up to help. “Now, catch hold again,” he said to the engineer as he leaned over the edge once more. “Get a good grip this time; Billy’s no lightweight.” “Hi! what are you going to do?” yelled Chester, dropping down beside him. “Alec, let me take a turn! I can pull Billy up if——” “Never mind me; I can climb up alone,” called Billy in a faint voice from under the track. And he swung sidewise until he could brace his feet against a cross-pile. Slowly, with aching muscles, he drew his body upward; inch by inch he climbed, grasping the projecting ends of the ties. The strain on his tired arms was tremendous, his shoulders felt numb, his hands clutched wildly—slipped—and with a gasp, he lost his hold, and fell down, down, into the flowing tide. A tremendous splash sent a shower of spray up into the faces of his friends. Blinking, they saw him sink, saw the clear green water close over his head, and after waiting breathlessly for several minutes, saw him bob up to the surface and strike out for the nearest point of land. They knew he could swim like a seal, but they feared that, weakened by the strain he had just undergone, he might fail to make any headway against the current. As it was, they saw that he would be swept beyond the point toward which he was struggling into a broader space of open water that looked very dark and deep. Chester was just about to fling off his coat and shoes on an impulse to dive to the assistance of his friend, when he was checked by an outcry from the girl. Plucky and alert, she had quickly recovered her presence of mind, and now she ran along past the engine to the end of the bridge, calling: “Carlo! Here, Carlo! Come here, boy!” A deep-throated bark greeted her, and her companion and protector, the big dog, dashed to meet her, wagging his tail and showing every sign of canine joy at seeing her again. But without pausing to respond to his enthusiasm, she sped along the shore of the inlet until she came opposite where Billy was now floating with the tide, wisely resting before he continued his exertions. Pointing toward him, the girl urged Carlo into the water. “Get him, Carlo, good boy! Go on! Go on! Get him!” And the faithful animal seemed to understand at once what was required; at any rate, he plunged boldly into the water and paddled out straight as an arrow toward Billy. Giving a cheer, Alec and Chester, followed by the trainman, ran over to the spot where the girl was standing. Meanwhile, Carlo had come abreast of the swimmer, who, seeing him, had turned over and was resuming his strokes. Billy was too tired to disdain the noble dog’s assistance, so he put out one hand and grasped Carlo’s collar. Using his other arm and his legs, he helped the big dog to tow him back to the embankment. It was slow work, and the tidal current was merciless, but at last they reached shallower water where Billy could touch bottom. Releasing the dog, he waded to the shore and threw himself on the coarse grass. “Billy, old scout, you’re a hero!” exclaimed Alec, bending over his breathless comrade. “You bet he is, boys!” agreed the engineer. “Anything pluckier or cooler than the way he dropped over the side of the trestle, with the girl hanging onto him for dear life,—when they thought they wouldn’t be able to get ahead of the train,—I never saw in all my born days! And I’ve seen a good many nervy stunts, too,—including your hand-me-up rescue of the girl,” he added turning to Alec, whose face, pale with anxiety, flushed crimson at these words of praise. “Are you all right, Billy Wolf?” queried Chester, alarmed at Billy’s silence. “Yes, I’ll be—all right—in a few—minutes,” panted Billy, raising his head. As he did so, his gaze met that of the girl, and he saw that her dark blue eyes were filled with tears. “Oh, there you are!” he observed, smiling. “Not hurt, are you?” “Not at all, thanks to you!” she answered, a little sob in her voice. “I—I tried to thank your friend, a few minutes ago, but I haven’t thanked you for saving——” “Oh, that’s all right!” interposed Billy. “We’re only too glad that we happened to come along in time. Aren’t we, Alec?” “Of course we are!” assented the other rescuer warmly. He patted Carlo’s fine head. “He’s a great old dog, isn’t he? Whew! Stop shaking water all over us, Carlo! Can’t you see Billy is wet enough already?” “Down, Carlo!” commanded the young girl. Carlo bounded away, barking joyously. Billy stood up, dripping wet and shivering slightly, in spite of the warm afternoon sunlight. His hair was matted with sticky salt water, his clothes were soiled with mud and sand, but he laughed as he shook himself. Chester and Alec began to pat and thump him vigorously to quicken circulation. “Take a few sprints up and down the bank,” advised Chester. “You’re chilled, Billy; your teeth are chattering.” “Nonsense!” laughed Billy. “I’m all right.” As if to prove this assertion, he began a wrestling match with Carlo, who had come frisking up to him. But this sport was interrupted by the departure of the engineer. “Well, I must be getting up steam again,” said the man. “Good-by, all!” After shaking hands all around, he walked rapidly back to his engine, and soon the big freight was on its way again, the various trainmen waving their hands in farewell. “I must be on my way, too,” the girl said, breaking an awkward little pause which followed the last echo of the vanishing train. “I was going over to Santario, to see my father. He is the keeper of the Life Saving Station at Red Key,” she explained. “His name is Anderson,—Peter Anderson. Mine is Ruth.” “We’re Boy Scouts,” replied Alec, feeling that some introduction was due. “This chap is William Worth,—we call him Billy, for short,—this is Chester Brownell, and I’m Alec Sands. We are on our way to Santario, too; we left our machine over yonder. If you like, we’ll be glad to give you a ride. Will you come? It’s getting late, the sun’s going down, and you’ll never walk all the way to Santario before dusk. Better come with us.” His suggestion was offered in frank kindness and Ruth Anderson was quick to appreciate it. “It’s very good of you to invite me,” she said. “Thank you very much! I’d love a ride. You see, I’ve never been in an automobile. I’ve been in a lifeboat, though; but that’s not exciting,—unless there’s a storm!” “That’s something we’ve never done—gone out in a lifeboat,” Chester remarked. “I visited a station on the coast of Maine two summers ago, but I didn’t see the crew at work.” “I’ve never even seen a Life Saving Station,” said Billy. “I have it—a great idea!” exclaimed Alec. “Some day, soon after Hugh gets here, we’ll motor down to Red Key and——” Ruth interrupted him with a silvery laugh. “Oh, that will be fine!” she cried gaily. “Dad will be so glad to see you-all and to thank you for all you’ve done for me to-day. And I’m sure you’ll like the crew over at Red Key; they’re the nicest, kindest, bravest fellows in the world! And they’ll like you, too; I know they will!” |
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