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"Ah, there is my reporter!" exclaimed the purser's wife, when she was warm and comfortable, as she saw Larry busy scanning the list of passengers. "He came quick to the wreck!" "Can you lend me some paper?" Larry asked Mrs. Needam. "What for?" "I want to write an account of the rescue and copy these names. I must hurry to the telegraph office. I left my paper in the fisherman's hut."
After it trailed the long thin line, like a tail to a kite. It was scarcely a moment later that there sounded a gun from the ship. "Good!" cried Captain Needam. "The shot went true!" "That was the ship signalling that they had the line," explained Bailey, shouting the words in Larry's ear. From the shore to the ship there now stretched out a long thin rope.
"All ready?" called Captain Needam, as he looked at his men. "Ready, sir," answered George Tucker. "Put in the primer!" ordered the chief of the life savers. One of the men inserted a percussion fuse in the touchhole of the mortar. The captain grasped a lanyard. The men all stood at attention, waiting to see the effect of the shot. Captain Needam sighted over the muzzle of the cannon.
I was just coming for him to help us launch the life-boat. We need all the men we can get, though we've got help from the station below us. Captain Needam sent me after Bailey." "I don't believe he'll come," said Larry. "He'll not want to leave the man he pulled from the ocean." "No, I don't s'pose he will," said George. "He may save a life. But we've got to try for the steamer.
"Did you save any?" called the fisherman to Captain Needam, who was busy directing the rescue. "Got some in the life-boat early this morning," was the answer. "They took 'em to the lower station. We couldn't get back with the boat. All ready now, men. Dig a hole for the anchor, Nate. Sam, you help plant the mortar. Have to allow a good bit for the wind.
"Some of you go back and get ready to operate the breeches buoy as soon as it's light enough!" called Captain Needam, as the boat was pulled away over the heaving billows toward the wreck, which could be seen in the occasional glare of a rocket or signal light. "Might as well come back," said George Tucker to Larry. "Can't do any more here."
The place was in seeming confusion, yet every man was at his post. Most of them were hauling out the long wagon frame, on which the life-boat rested. They were bringing the craft down to the beach to try to launch it. "Lend a hand!" cried Captain Needam, as Larry and the coast-guard came in. "We need every man we can get." Larry grasped a rope.
He hurried on with the woman, who told him her name was Mrs. Angelino. He did not question her further, as he felt she must be suffering from the strain she had undergone. In a short time they were safe at the station, and there Mrs. Needam provided warm and dry garments for mother and child, and gave Mrs. Angelino hot drinks.
This was to hold the anchor, to which was attached the shore end of the heavy rope, on which, presently, persons from the wreck might be hauled ashore. Once the anchor was in the hole, and covered with sand, firmly packed down, arrangements were made to get a line to the vessel. "Put in a heavy charge!" cried Captain Needam.
Angelino, and then, with a good preliminary story of the wreck, having obtained many facts from the purser's wife, Larry set out through the storm for the nearest telegraph station. "Don't you want some hot coffee before you go?" asked Mrs. Needam. "I've got lots ready for the poor souls that'll soon be here." Larry did want some.
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