But it proved to be as Pete had foreseen; there was the gallant will and
the strength to obey it, but it was merely a spasmodic force which only
endured a minute or two. Then the brave young swimmer's arms turned, as
it were, to lead, the power to breast the strong current ceased, and he
remained stationary for a moment or two, before being gradually borne
backward, his efforts ceasing; while the men in the boat watched him and
Pete, who, with the water quite to his nostrils, was swimming with all
his strength, but only just able to keep the heavy fetters from dragging
him to the bottom.

"Two more on us going," said one of the men. "Here, Bob; come and help.
You stop and grab 'em as soon as they're near."

The man and the comrade he had addressed scrambled over the thwarts
towards where the two blacks were rowing hard, but hardly holding the
heavy boat against the powerful tide; and as soon as the fetters
clanked, the dogs barked savagely and leaped up to meet them; but as the
intelligent beasts saw the men seize a couple of oars and thrust them
over the sides, they stopped short, panting.

"All the better for you," growled one of the men to the dog glaring at
him, "for I'd ha' choked you if you'd come at me.--Pull away, blackies."

The additional oars had the right effect, for as the four men pulled
with all their might the boat began to stem the current and shorten the
distance between it and the two drowning men. But, in spite of his
great strength, Pete was being mastered by the heavy weight of the
irons, and was getting lower and lower in the water; while Nic's arms
had ceased to move, and he was drifting with the tide.

"Keep up; strike out, lads," cried the man in the bows, in agony.
"We're coming fast now."

It was not the truth, for the heavy boat was moving very slowly against
the swift tide, and the swimmers' fate seemed to be sealed, as the man
reached back, got hold of another oar, and thrust it out over the bows,
ready for Pete to grasp as soon as he came within reach.

"We shall be too late," groaned the man, with all his enmity against
Pete forgotten in those wild moments of suspense. "Here, look out for
the oar. Pete, lad, swim back. Oh! poor lad, he can't hear me. He's
drownin'--he's drownin'."

Pete could not hear, and if he had heard during his frantic efforts to
reach Nic, he would not have heeded, for there was no room in the man's
brain in those wild moments for more than that one