Page:Ralph Paine--The praying skipper.djvu/209

Rh round to the south'ard, and except for the swinging swell, the sea was smoothed to summer gentleness. The eternal miracle of dawn had never come to more grateful hearts than these two. Youth had survived the battering ordeal with mind still alert, but old age was near passing with hurts and exhaustion. Now that he could see no help, the boy so managed it that the pilot could lie half across the lifebuoy, which floated high with the supporting planking beneath it.

"Them as wasn't drownded and smashed in their bunks, couldn't swim, or none to speak of," sighed the old man. "I knew 'em all from boys. Two left.… And we're the most wuthless of the lot, sonny. But you may learn how to make an honest livin' some day.… Don't bother with me.… I'm due to go.… The old lady has the cottage, and there's the pension from the Pilot's Fund.… And two more pilots in the family.… Ain't you sorry you didn't let 'Doc' Wilson come?"

The boy sputtered:

"No, we aren't dead yet, and if we're