How the four at the oars pulled the heavy boat! Tunis sought to
identify them as well. He saw John-Ed Williams--in a place at last
where he was forced to keep up his end, though he was notably a lazy
man. Ben Brewster had the oar directly behind John-Ed.
The third figure Tunis could not identify--not at once. The man at
the bow oar was Marvin Pike, who pulled a splendid stroke. So did
that unknown oarsman. They were all bravely tugging at the heavy
oars. Tunis had faith in them.
Zebedee suddenly plunged across the pitching deck and reached the
rail where Tunis stood. Discipline--at least seagoing etiquette--had
been somewhat in abeyance aboard the _Seamew_ during the last few
hours. Zeb caught the skipper by the arm.
"See her?" he bawled into the ear of the surprised Tunis.
"What's that?"
"See her hair? It's a girl! As I'm a living sinner, it's a girl!
Pulling number three oar, Captain Latham! Did you ever?"
Clinging to a stay, the captain of the _Seamew_ flung himself far
over the rail as the schooner chanced to roll. He could look down
into the approaching lifeboat. He saw the loosened, dark locks of
the girl who was pulling at number three oar. On the very heels of
Zeb's words the captain was confident of the girl's identity.
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