Only once did he pause,
and then to shout:
"Green,--Mulligan! Go back, some o' ye, and
git Archie. He's hurt bad. Quick, now! And one
o' ye bust in them doors. And-- Polhemus, pull
some coats off that crowd and a shawl or two from
them women if they can spare 'em, and find Doctor
John, some o' ye! D'ye hear! DOCTOR JOHN!"
A dozen coats were stripped from as many backs,
a shawl of Mrs. Fogarty's handed to Polhemus, the
doors burst in and Uncle Isaac lunging in tumbled
the garments on the floor. On these the captain laid
the body of the rescued man, the slouch hat still
clinging to his head.
While this was being done another procession was
approaching the house. Tod and Parks were carrying
Archie's unconscious form, the water dripping
from his clothing. Tod had his hands under the
boy's armpits and Parks carried his feet. Behind
the three walked Jane, half supported by the doctor.
"Dead!" she moaned. "Oh, no--no--no, John;
it cannot be! Not my Archie! my brave Archie!"
The captain heard the tramp of the men's feet
on the board floor of the runway outside and rose
to his feet. He had been kneeling beside the form
of the rescued man. His face was knotted with the
agony he had passed through, his voice still thick
and hoarse from battling with the sea.
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