Striking out vigorously he gained the spot where Gwennap had sunk just
as the man appeared for the second time. Bearing in mind the
instructions laid down in official directions for saving life Hythe used
a fair amount of precious breath in bawling in a loud voice that the
drowning man was safe. Gripping Gwennap by the collar he jerked him on
to his back, the man struggling furiously the while. Hythe, realizing
that once the frantic and powerful fellow gripped him, it would be "all
up," had his work cut out to avoid the man’s arms. One glance showed
him that the "Aphrodite" was drifting fairly fast to leeward; his
assurance that the drowning man was safe seemed a hollow mockery.
"Don’t struggle, you idiot!" spluttered Hythe, as the crest of a wave
broke over his head. "Don’t you see you’ll do for the pair of us?"
But Gwennap evidently did not see, for if anything he struggled the
more.
The sub came to the conclusion that the situation was a desperate one.
He was rapidly becoming weaker; his clothes, now thoroughly waterlogged,
seemed like leaden weights. He had lost all sense of direction; he knew
not where the "Aphrodite" lay. It seemed as if he were left with a
frantic, drowning man in the lone sea. But not for one moment did Hythe
intend to abandon the man he had so gallantly attempted to rescue. If
only he could prevail on Gwennap to keep fairly still a chance yet
remained; but the man showed no signs of ceasing to struggle.
"Let go!" shouted Hythe, as loudly as he could, as Gwennap’s huge fist
seized him by the shoulder, followed by an iron grip on his coat-sleeve.
In his effort to shake himself clear the sub sank. As he did so
Gwennap’s grip became a close embrace. Down, down, down; it seemed as
if Hythe had sunk a full twenty feet ere the downward motion ceased.
His lungs seemed ready to burst with the pressure. Even if he would he
could not now free himself from the relentless grasp.
Once more his head appeared above the surface. He drew in a deep,
reviving draught of air, even though it was salt-laden; then with a
sudden effort he wrenched his right arm clear, drew back his fist, and
planted a tremendous blow upon Gwennap’s temple, and his struggles
ceasing he was now practically harmless.
"Pity I didn’t think of that before," thought Hythe dimly. "I wonder if
I’ve killed him, but there was no other way."
"Cheer up, Hythe!" exclaimed a hearty voice that the sub recognized as
Devoran’s. Turning his head the well-nigh exhausted rescuer saw close
to him the chief officer and O’Shaunessey, who, having divested
themselves of the greater portion of their clothing, had dived overboard
to aid their comrades.
"That’s right, you hang on to me," continued Devoran, "O’ Shaunessey
will look after that lubber. The captain will give him a dressing-down
when we get aboard again."
Hythe was too done up to inquire why Gwennap should be reprimanded. He
was only too glad to rest his hand upon Devoran’s brawny shoulder.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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