Page:Under Dewey at Manila.djvu/188

160 ran with all the power left to his legs. Once he went down on his hands, and the next wave nearly caught him, but he was up again in a trice, and in a moment more was safe on the rocks which arose directly behind the storm-beaten beach.

"Luke! are you safe?" were the first words he uttered, as soon as he could catch his breath.

"I am, and thank God for it!" came from the Yankee sailor, and presently he appeared out of the darkness. "That was a close shave, lad, wasn't it? I came near to striking on my head."

"It was a close shave," answered Larry, and added reverently: " We have much to thank Heaven for, haven't we?" Somehow, that time of extreme peril was deeply impressed upon his youthful mind.

"Yes, lad, God has been with us this night, no doubt of it. We couldn't have stood it much longer drifting in that sea. Let us get a little further back, under the shelter of yonder overhanging cliff; and there we can take it easy until morning."

Both had dropped upon the rocks, too exhausted to stand, but now they managed to reach the base of the cliff Striker had mentioned, and here they