Bravely she battled now against the awful odds of the
mighty Pacific, but soon she felt her strength waning. More
and more ineffective became her puny efforts, and at last she
ceased almost entirely the futile struggle.
And then she felt a strong hand grasp her arm, and with a
sudden surge she was swung over a broad shoulder. Quickly
she grasped the rough shirt that covered the back of her
would-be rescuer, and then commenced a battle with the
waves that for many minutes, that seemed hours to the frightened
girl, hung in the balance; but at last the swimmer
beneath her forged steadily and persistently toward the sandy
beach to flounder out at last with an unconscious burden in
his mighty arms.
As the man staggered up out of reach of the water Barbara
Harding opened her eyes to look in astonishment into the face
of the mucker.
CHAPTER IX
ODA YORIMOTO
ONLY four men of the Halfmoon's crew were lost in the
wreck of the vessel. All had been crowded in the bow when
the ship broke in two, and being far-flung by the forward part
of the brigantine as it lunged toward the cove on the wave
following the one which had dropped the craft upon the reef,
with the exception of the four who had perished beneath the
wreckage they had been able to swim safely to the beach.
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