CHAPTER XXII
In Swirling Waters
The boys looked at one another in awe.
Their ears still rang with Captain Royal's last dreadful cry as he went hurtling over the cliff toward the watery depths.
"He's gone!" gasped Chet. "I knew something like that would happen. He slipped on the rocks."
Frank, however, was already slipping and stumbling back down the path toward the beach.
"There's still a chance," he shouted to the others. "He may be alive yet. If we hurry we may be able to get him out of the water before he drowns. The tide's coming in, so he may be washed ashore."
It was a slim chance, he knew. Captain Royal had fallen from a great height and perhaps the impact of his collision with the water had rendered him unconscious. From the path, the boys could not see where the old man had struck the water, so they could not know if he had come to the surface as yet.
The boys scrambled down the path, almost risking their necks in the pellmell descent. Rocks and pebbles went skittering before them as they plunged toward the beach.
All their resentment against Captain Royal because he had hurled the rock at them and because he had threatened them, had vanished in their concern for his safety. They realized that he was not responsible for his actions and that his eccentricities were the fruits of a disordered mind. They had done their best to save him from going over the cliff. This was some consolation. But the very thought of such a horrible death made them shudder.
"He'll be battered to pieces on the rocks!" panted Joe.
"If we get there in time we may be able to save him," returned Frank. "Of course, it's ten chances to one that he was killed by the fall."
They reached the rocks of the shore at last, Frank and Joe in front, Chet and Biff stumbling breathlessly along behind. The boys raced down the beach toward the base of the cliff from which Captain Royal had fallen. It was invisible to them from where they were, but as they skirted a ledge of rock they saw the steep wall of the precipice.
It descended to a raging foam of angry waters, where the surf beat among the black pinnacles of rock projecting from the sea at the base of the cliff.
"He hasn't a chance in the world," declared Chet, when he viewed the gloomy scene.
Fog hung over the shore, and through it loomed the black cliff and the cruel rocks. They could see no sign of Captain Royal in the waves.
However, the boys hastened on toward the base of the cliff, approaching as near as they dared. Frank scanned the water in vain for a glimpse of a bobbing figure being cast in toward the shore.
"He wouldn't live ten seconds in that sea!" declared Biff, with conviction.
"I'm afraid you're right, Biff," replied Frank sadly. "I guess we'll never see the poor old chap again."
"Pretty tough," said Chet. "After all, he didn't know what he was doing. He was just crazy. He should have been somewhere in a place where his friends could look after him."
"And now," put in Joe, "we'll probably never know if he was Todham Todd or not."
Chet looked up, interested.
"What's that?" he asked.
But before Joe could explain further, Frank gave a shout of excitement.
"I see him! Look!"
He pointed toward the black rocks at the base of the cliff. There, in the midst of the tossing waves, they had a momentary glimpse of a limp figure, an upturned face among the dark waters. There was no doubt that this was Captain Royal, but whether he was alive or dead they could not tell.
A gigantic wave picked up the body and hurled it toward the dark rocks again. Somehow, the limp form was thrown clear, otherwise it would have been battered to pieces, and it tumbled into a quiet pool beyond the jagged pinnacles. There the body lay, face upward, arms flung helplessly out.
"We've got to get him out of that," declared Frank, taking off his coat.
"How can we?"
"You'll be smashed to pieces against the rocks!" exclaimed Biff.
"I'm going to risk it anyway."
"You'd better wait for low tide."
"Too late then."
"Frank, don't be foolish!" cried Joe, in alarm. "You'll never be able to make it."
But Frank was obdurate.
"I can reach him if I'm careful," he said. "Perhaps he isn't dead. He may be only stunned and unconscious. If we leave him there he will be killed."
"But if he's dead already there's no sense in your risking your life."
"But he may not be dead. I'm going to try it, anyway."
Without another word, Frank handed his coat to Chet and then made his way along the rocks at the base of the cliff. For a few yards his progress was uneventful, but as he reached the deep water and the great waves pounded against him he was obliged to exert all his strength to breast the angry surf.
Once he was knocked off his feet and the watchers had a glimpse of his head and outflung arms in a smother of foam, then he disappeared from sight. A moment later, however, they saw him emerge, dripping, beside a rock that jutted out of the water and pull himself up to safety.
He still had a perilous journey before he could reach the limp form at the base of the rocky wall. He rested for a moment, with waves breaking over him as he clung to the rock. Then the watching boys saw him slip down into the water again and flounder on.
"He'll be battered to pieces!" exclaimed Biff.
"I wouldn't give a nickel for his chances, myself," said Chet.
Joe shook his head.
"He may get there all right, but if he tries to bring Captain Royal's body back with him, he hasn't a Chinaman's chance."
Frank was now but a few yards away from the shallow pool where the old man lay. He vanished for a moment, emerged from the waves, staggered a few paces, then a huge roller swept over him and sent him against the side of the cliff. But he was evidently unhurt, for the others saw him wave toward them. Then he plunged along the base of the wall, flattened himself against the cliff as another wave rolled down upon him, and then splashed into the little pool.
"He made it!"
"Yes. But can he get back?"
Frank was bending over the body of Captain Royal. The other boys saw him straighten up suddenly and wave to them. He shouted something but the roar of the waves drowned his voice.
"Perhaps he's trying to tell us the captain is alive," suggested Joe.
They saw Frank tugging at the limp form, trying to get a convenient grip on Captain Royal's body.
"He's too heavy for Frank. It's hard enough for one person to get back through those waves alone, without dragging some one else along."
But evidently Frank was going to try it.
Going to the pool, his danger had been that a wave would pick him up and dash him to pieces against the rocks. Returning, his danger was that he would be unable to pit his strength against the force of the waves at all, that he would become exhausted before he reached the open shore again.
He had hoisted Captain Royal's body up until the old man's arms were over his shoulders, and he gripped the wrists over his chest. The body was thus across his back.
Head down, Frank plunged forward out of the sheltered pool, directly into the waves.
The first breaker smashed against him with terrific force. He lost his balance, staggered and fell. The watchers groaned. They saw the two figures in the foam, saw that Frank had lost his grip on Captain Royal.
But Frank managed to get to his feet. Then he reached out and seized the captain by the back of the shirt. He was not beaten yet.
He dragged the unconscious form into the very heart of the raging waves, where they surged against the sharp rocks. Each time a mighty roller came toward them, its crest tipped with foam, he lowered his head and set himself for the shock. So, inch by inch, he forged his way forward until he was among the rocks.
Here his danger was at its worst.
The water was not deep but a misstep would have grave consequences for if he once fell the waves would batter him against the rocks and his chances of regaining a foothold would be slim.
He rested a while in the shelter of the largest rock, waited until a huge wave went by with a crashing roar, then, as the water receded, plunged on again. Once he seemed to stagger, but he kept his balance, somehow, and clung to another rock.
Another wave came rolling in. Frank lowered his head and waited for it.
Crash!
It broke over him in a cloud of flying spray. He was completely hidden for a moment, and the watchers on the beach were breathless with suspense.
Then, through the mist, they saw that he was still clinging to the rock.
Frank was almost exhausted now. His burden, a dead weight, was very heavy. The beach seemed very far away. There were more rocks to pass. He rested for a short while, then plunged on.
By a miracle, he kept his footing among the treacherous rocks, and by good judgment he managed to get set in time to resist the shock of the breaking waves. At last he felt the sand beneath his feet.
He had only a short distance to go now, but his knees gave way beneath him. He stumbled and fell. He lost his grip on the body of Captain Royal. A great wave broke over them.
But Joe and Chet and Biff were already wading toward them. In a moment, Frank felt strong hands seizing him. Half-conscious, he was dragged out of the water onto the sands.
"Captain Royal!" he stammered. "Get him! He's all right!"
"Chet is bringing him in," said Joe assuringly.
"He's unconscious," gasped Frank, "but he's alive."
Then he collapsed, gasping and exhausted, on the sand. Chet came up, carrying the limp body of Captain Royal.
"He's breathing!" declared Chet excitedly. "Frank saved him."