chance of landing on the foam-swept
rocks lower down. Making sure he had enough slack rope, he plunged in.

An eddy swung him out-shore, towards the dangerous rush; the cold
cramped his muscles and cut his breath, but he was already below the
spot he had left, and there was no time to lose. The white streak that
marked the skip seemed to forge up-stream to meet him, and he swam
savagely until he was in the broken water and something struck his foot.
Then he arched his back and dived, groping with his hands. He grasped
the slippery side of the skip and felt the shackle loop. With some
trouble he got the rope through, and then tried to put his feet on the
bottom. They were swept away and he came up gasping, knowing he had made
a mistake that might cost him dear.

He held the end of the rope, but had been carried several yards
down-stream, and the lost ground must be regained. The rope was rather
a hindrance than a help, since the men on the bank could only haul him
back to the skip and drag him under water, while he must pull the slack
through the loop as he struggled to land. If he got out of the eddies he
would be swept past the island, but he did not mean to let the rope go
yet.

A revolving eddy swung him in-shore, but the reflux caught and drove
him a few yards lower down. The men were shouting, but he could not tell
what they said. The roar of water bewildered him, and he fixed his eyes
upon the rocks that slid past until a wave washed across his face. For
a moment or two he saw nothing, and then was vaguely conscious that a
trolley was running down the wire above. An indistinct object hung from
the trolley and next moment fell away from it. A dark body splashed into
the water, vanished, and came up close by. Then he was seized by the
shoulder and driven towards the bank.

The men had stopped shouting and ran into the water at the island's
lower end. Festing drifted towards them, but it looked as if he would be
carried past. The drag of the rope kept him back, and his strength was
going, but he braced himself for an effort and felt a helping push. Then
somebody seized his hand, he was pulled forward, and felt bottom as he
dropped his feet. In another few moments he staggered up the bank and
gave the nearest man the end of the rope.

"Stick to that," he gasped, and turned to see who had helped him.

"Bob!" he exclaimed.

Charnock dashed the water from his hair and face. "Thought you mightn't
make it and jumpe