"
In half an hour a boat rowing four oars was seen approaching.
"They are laying out well," Ruthven said. "They couldn't row harder
if they were rowing a race. But had it not been for you, old fellow,
they would have been too late, as far as I am concerned."
As the boat approached, the coxswain waved his hat to the boys.
Frank motioned with his arm for them to row on round the point.
The boat swept along at a short distance from the shore. The boys
watched them breathlessly. Presently as it reached the point they
saw the coxswain stand up and say something to the men, who glanced
over their shoulders as they rowed. Then the coxswain gave a loud
shout. "Hold on! We'll be with you directly."
"Thank God!" Frank exclaimed, "Childers is all right."
It was well, however, that the boat arrived when it did, for Childers
was utterly exhausted when it reached him. The sea had risen so
high that the waves broke against his feet, throwing the spray far
above his head, and often nearly washing him from the ledge on which
he stood. Had it not been, indeed, for the hold which he obtained
of the cliff, it would several times have swept him away. About
eighteen inches above his head he had found a ledge sufficiently
wide to give a grip for his hands, and hanging by these he managed
to retain his place when three times his feet were swept off the
rock by the rush of water.
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