That's the
only tough part of it. Someone might see if there's a way up from this
beach. If the tide comes much higher it's going to be a bit damp here."
It was Perry who undertook that task, while the others followed Steve to
the breakers' edge and watched him return to the _Adventurer_. He made
no attempt to swim, but pulled himself along by the line,
hand-over-hand, his head for the most of the time under the water. But
presently he emerged and they saw him clamber to the deck, crawl along
it and disappear. He seemed a long time there, but he came into sight
again eventually and began the return trip. Perry was back by then and
they formed a line by clasping hands and Joe stood well above his waist,
battered by the surf, and Steve was helped along from one to another and
presently they were all back on the beach once more.
"I got it over," gasped Steve, "but it was hard work. I think it will
hold. If the storm will only go down pretty soon she may get through. I
think some of her planks are sprung, though. There's a foot of water in
the after cabin. I got some matches and this cup." He pulled a tin cup
from a trousers pocket. "Can we get up the cliff a way?"
"Yes," answered Perry. "There's a sort of a shelf about a hundred feet
beyond there.
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